Representational congruence and information retrieval: Towards an extended model of cognitive fit

摘要

The theory of cognitive fit suggests that a match between the problem representation and the task results in a better problem solving performance. In this paper, we extend the concept of cognitive fit to also account for the congruence between the external information and the internal representation of the user. This representational congruence and its effect on information retrieval are tested in an experimental setting. Subjects who are assigned to either of the two models of external representation (propositional networks, PNs, and object-oriented, OO) are provided domain-based information. A computer program, OBJECT_IMAGE, is used to measure the reaction times and error rates of subjects on different attributes such as inheritance, message passing, and changing dynamics. The results favor the existence of OO-like features to attain cognitive economy in human information processing.