An exegesis of two theories of compensation development: Sequential decision theory and information integration theory

Previous studies on the development of problem-solving skills in compensation tasks suggest that sequential decision theory more accurately describes the earlier phases of development than information integration theory. Compared to information integration theory, sequential decision theory appears to provide a more valid representation of children's and adults' processing of simpler compensation problems. On more developmentally advanced compensation problems, adults appear to use a variety of strategies. Information integration is capable of describing many of these patterns accurately. However, detailed analyses of performances by children and adults indicate that processing compensation problems by algebraic integration is the exception, rather than the general rule.