Letter Order Randomization in Anagram Solving

Summary

In an experiment designed to test a prediction based on Gavurin's theory about the way in which letter order randomization facilitates anagramsolving, three groups of 10 high school boys and girls attempted five anagrams with high total letter transition probability (LTP) and five with low total LTP in one of three conditions: (a) a control condition in which they were allowed to use pencil and paper, (b) a condition in which a new random order of the letters was presented every 15 seconds, and (c) a condition in which Ss were required to write down the letters in a number of orders which were arbitrary rather than truly random. While the effects of total LTP and condition were significant, as expected on the basis of earlier research, the interaction between them, which had been predicted on the basis of Gavurin's theory, was not significant. Evidence favoring an alternative theory was obtained by noting the letter order immediately preceding solution in the second condition.