Effects of Self-Directed Analogical Comparison and Generation of Factual Hypotheticals on Multi-Case Legal Reasoning
Item
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Title
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Effects of Self-Directed Analogical Comparison and Generation of Factual Hypotheticals on Multi-Case Legal Reasoning
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Identifier
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d_2009_2013:ed5c7ca0b7c6:11113
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identifier
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11276
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Creator
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Sue, Moon Sam,
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Contributor
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Barry j. Zimmerman
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Date
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2011
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Language
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English
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Publisher
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City University of New York.
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Subject
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Educational psychology | Cognitive psychology | Law | analogical reasoning | hypotheticals | law students
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Abstract
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Drawing on analogical reasoning theories, this study sought to determine whether learner-directed generation of factual hypotheticals coupled with the briefing of court decisions would be better than briefing alone in engaging in legal reasoning from two or more cases. Thirty-seven students and recent college graduates, who had been previously enrolled in pre-law programs that emphasized the reading of court decisions, were recruited. They were randomly assigned to two training groups---a structured hypotheticals training group, which used a grid to prompt the generation of factual hypotheticals from court cases---and a briefing group which summarized the court cases in response to questions regarding the parties, facts, issues and ruling/disposition of a court case. After training and reading of three court decision, both groups were required to provide a solution to a factual hypothetical---a transfer task. Measures on case comprehension, self-efficacy and self-evaluation beliefs regarding comprehension were also assessed to determine whether the intervention would interfere with comprehension and motivation. Univariate analyses showed that the hypotheticals group outperformed the briefing only training group in solving the factual hypothetical. Multivariate analysis also showed that the intervention did not interfere with comprehension, as both training groups did not significantly differ in comprehension subprocesses. Finally the two training groups did not differ on self-efficacy and self-evaluation beliefs in connection with their perceived ability to comprehend court decisions.
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Type
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dissertation
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Source
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2009_2013.csv
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degree
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Ph.D.
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Program
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Educational Psychology
