On Interpreting the Effects of Repetition : Solving a Problem Versus Remembering a Solution

When a problem is repeated. the later presentation of the problem sometimes results in the subject responding by remembenng the solution rather than by going through.the operations that would otherwise be necessary to solve the problem. The means of obtaining the solution is shown to influence subsequent retention performance: retention of the solution suffers if it has been obtained by remembenng rather than by solving the problem. The distinction between solving a problem and remembenng a solution is used in an account of the etTect of spacing repetitions and other standard memory phenomena. The relevance of the distinction to tasks such as word perception is also discussed.

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