Adaptive expertise and cognitive readiness: A perspective from the expert-performance approach

Abstract

The concept of cognitive readiness implies the acquisition of mechanisms that can guide performance in complex, unfamiliar and unpredictable environments. This chapter traces the history of previously introduced concepts involving similar mechanisms, such as insightful learning and adaptive expertise. These concepts emerged as criticisms of routine expertise and the associated traditional models of skill acquisition that emphasize the role of matched patterns and extensive experience to lead to effortless habitual performance. More recently research on reproducibly superior performance of experts has demonstrated transfer of skill to new and not previously seen situations within the domain of expertise. This new theoretical framework emphasizes the acquisition of mechanisms for increased cognitive control of performance permitting planning and self-monitoring. The same mechanisms mediate improvements and refinements of performance through the engagement in deliberate practice. This new model is shown to be able to accommodate many characteristics of attained cognitive readiness, such as understanding of new situations, flexible performance, and complex learning.