A Comparison of Forward and Backward Chaining Techniques for the Teaching of Verbal Sequential Tasks

Item

Title
A Comparison of Forward and Backward Chaining Techniques for the Teaching of Verbal Sequential Tasks
Date
1965
Index Abstract
Not Available
Photo Quality
Not Needed
Report Number
AMRL TR 65-203
Creator
Johnson, Kirk A.
Senter, R. J.
Corporate Author
University of Cincinnati
Laboratory
Aerospace Medical Research Laboratories
Extent
20
Identifier
AD0628944
Access Rights
Distribution of this document is unlimited
Distribution Classification
1
Contract
AF 33(615)-1046
DoD Project
1710
DoD Task
171007
DTIC Record Exists
No
Distribution Change Authority Correspondence
None
Distribution Conflict
No
Abstract
Three experiments were conducted to determine the relative merits of forward and backward chaining in the learning of sequential (serial) tasks. Previous research with animals has indicated the superiority of backward chaining and this principle frequently has been proposed for human learning. In all experiments the materials consisted of lists formed from familiar items (numbers, letters, words) arranged in arbitrary sequences. In the forward-chaining technique the subject begins by practicing the first item in the sequence. Next he practices the first and second and third items, and so on until he is practicing the entire sequence. In the backward-chaining technique the subject begins by practicing the last item in the sequence. He then practices the next-to-the-last and last items, then the third-from-last, next-to-last, and last items, and so on until he is practicing the entire sequence. In all three experiments, the forward-chaining technique was superior to the backward-chaining technique. In the first experiment, this difference was not reliable, but in each of the remaining experiments, it was.
Report Availability
Full text available
Date Issued
1965-12
Provenance
RAF Centre of Aviation Medicine
Type
report
Format
1 online resource

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