The effects of concurrent verbalization on performance in a dynamic systems task

Two experiments are described based on a dynamic systems control task previously shown to favour implicit learning. Subjects asked to verbalize their reasoning whilst performing the task showed significantly improved task performance. This result is in line with suggestions that concurrent verbalization may facilitate task performance. Presentation of graphical information representing the behaviour of the system also aids learning. Both concurrent verbalization and graphical representations probably have the effect of increasing the efficiency with which the available task information is assimilated. When both these aids are available to subjects, the effects of one may be masked by the effects of the other. This would account for the results of previous studies in which no effect of concurrent verbalization has been found. After relatively few exchanges with the system some subjects appear to be developing verbal task knowledge; this may represent the initial stages in the development of a mental model of the system. 1989 The British Psychological Society