Question

Which of the following is not a strategy identified by Bruner in concept formation?

• A. Simultaneous scanning
• B. Successive scanning
• C. Conservative focussing
• D. Perceptibility

Answer 1

Answer:

D. Perceptibility

• In his landmark study A Study of Thinking (1956), Jerome Bruner identified specific selection strategies that individuals use when trying to learn or form a concept. These strategies are systematic ways of testing hypotheses to figure out which features (attributes) define a category. The three strategies listed in the options—and a fourth one often mentioned—are: Simultaneous Scanning (A): The learner keeps all possible hypotheses in mind at once and uses each piece of information to eliminate as many incorrect ones as possible. This is mentally taxing. Successive Scanning (B): The learner tests one hypothesis at a time. They stick with one idea until it's proven wrong, then move to the next. This is slower but easier on memory. Conservative Focusing (C): The learner finds a positive instance (an example that fits the concept) and then changes only one attribute at a time to see if the new version still fits. this is a very organized, "safe" way to narrow down the rules. Focus Gambling: The learner changes more than one attribute at a time. It’s a "high risk, high reward" strategy that can lead to quick success or total confusion.