The Nature of External Representations in Problem Solving

TLDR

The article proposes a theoretical framework for external representation‑based problem solving and introduces representational determinism, asserting that the form of a representation governs perceived information, activated processes, and discoverable structures. The framework is illustrated and tested through Tic‑Tac‑Toe and its isomorphs, serving as a methodology and functional model. Experimental results demonstrate that Tic‑Tac‑Toe behavior is governed by directly available information in external and internal representations—perceptual and cognitive biases—regardless of bias consistency, and that external representations serve roles beyond mere memory aids.

Abstract

This article proposes a theoretical framework for external representation based problem solving. The Tic‐Tac‐Toe and its isomorphs are used to illustrate the procedures of the framework as a methodology and test the predictions of the framework as a functional model. Experimental results show that the behavior in the Tic‐Tac‐Toe is determined by the directly available information in external and internal representations in terms of perceptual and cognitive biases, regardless of whether the biases are consistent with, inconsistent with, or irrelevant to the task. It is shown that external representations are not merely inputs and stimuli to the internal mind and that they have much more important functions than mere memory aids. A representational determinism is suggested—the form of a representation determines what information can be perceived, what processes can be activated, and what structures can be discovered from the specific representation.