| Abstract: | RESEARCH ON ANAGRAMS OVER 30 YR. BY SEVERAL METHODS DISCLOSES STRONG EFFECTS FROM 3 FACTORS: SETS ESTABLISHED BY INSTRUCTIONS OR A TRAINING SERIES, FREQUENCY OF EXPOSURE TO THE SOLUTION WORD, AND ORDER OF THE LETTERS OF THE ANAGRAM. EFFECTS OF LETTER COMBINATIONS ARE CONFUSING, BUT RECENT RESULTS CONVERGE TO EMPHASIZE THE FREQUENCY OF THE FIRST 2 OR 3 LETTERS OF THE SOLUTION WORD. MODEST PROGRESS HAS BEEN MADE IN THEORIZING ABOUT THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE SET, DESCRIBING THE PROBLEM-SOLVING PROCESSES, AND ANALYZING THE ABILITIES REQUIRED. THE RESULTS FOR ANAGRAM PROBLEMS HAVE IMPLICATIONS FOR SOME PERSISTENT QUESTIONS ABOUT PROBLEM-SOLVING RESEARCH IN GENERAL. (2 P. REF.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved) |
