Problem difficulty as a function of relative frequency of correct responses

The attempt was made to identify variables determining the order in which problem solving responses are made. On the initial problem, difficulty was inversely related to the relative frequency of the correct response. Over a series of problems, performance was more complexly related to relative frequency of the correct response, with the difficulty of identifying various relative frequency positions the additional factor.

[1]  B. Underwood,et al.  Meaningfulness and verbal learning , 1960 .

[2]  R. W. Schulz Generalization of serial position in rote serial learning. , 1955, Journal of experimental psychology.

[3]  M. Safren Associations, sets, and the solution of word problems. , 1962, Journal of Experimental Psychology.