Four-type taxonomy of word-problem process models by process order and mental representation¶
Research Method · All research methods
Evidence · 2 claims (2 for) · 1 study (1 causal),q3· 0 of 1 report an effect size · 2 claims rest on one study
Description¶
The article organizes existing cognitive models of word-problem solving along two axes: whether text comprehension and computation occur in a "linear" or "flexible" order, and whether they use "separable or integrated mental representations". This yields four model types (linear-separable, flexible-separable, linear-integrated, flexible-integrated), each predicting distinct patterns of canonical, phase-crossover, and attention-crossover effects on eye-tracking data. The taxonomy is used to judge which model best fits the observed solution process.
Accounts¶
- Four-type taxonomy of word-problem process models by process order and mental representation: The article organizes existing cognitive models of word-problem solving along two axes: whether text comprehension and computation occur in a "linear" or "flexible" order, and whether they use "separable or integrated mental representations". This yields four model types (linear-separable, flexible-separable, linear-integrated, flexible-integrated), each predicting distinct patterns of canonical, phase-crossover, and attention-crossover effects on eye-tracking data. The taxonomy is used to judge which model best fits the observed solution process. (Strohmaier et al. (2025))
Claims¶
- No evidence for phase-crossover effects predicted by flexible models [+M]
- Numerical difficulty and mathematical abilities also affect attention on situational text in the second phase (attention-crossover supporting integrated models) [+M]
Related Research Methods¶
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Key Sources¶
- Strohmaier, A. R., Schons, C., Knabbe, A., Vogel, M., Saado, K., & Obersteiner, A. (2025). The relation between text comprehension and computation in mathematical word-problem solving. Learning and Instruction, 101, 102235. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.learninstruc.2025.102235
Page metadata
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
type |
research-method |
id |
four-type-taxonomy-of-word-problem-process-models-by-process-order-and-mental-representati |
title |
Four-type taxonomy of word-problem process models by process order and mental representation |
description |
The article organizes existing cognitive models of word-problem solving along two axes: whether text comprehension and computation occur in a "linear" or "flexible" order, and whether they use "separable or integrated mental representations". |
status |
review |
generated |
by process:settle-candidates on 2026-10-23 |
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unverified — no one has confirmed this page's content |
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