Domain-Specific Knowledge and Why Teaching Generic
Skills Does Not Work – A. Tricot and J. Sweller
Domain-specific knowledge: memorized information of theorem tied to a specific subject, like math.
Domain-general skills: broad abilities like critical thinking or problem-solving, that can be used across
different subjects.
Biologically primary knowledge: Knowledge that is naturally learned over generations, like language
or social skills. It is acquired easily and learned unconsciously. It cannot be taught at school because it
has already been acquired.
Biologically secondary knowledge: Knowledge that is important in our culture but isn't naturally
learned, like reading or math. It requires explicit instruction.
Geary: There is no solid evidence showing that domain-general strategies can be effectively taught,
as opposed to domain-specific knowledge, which can be taught. Even though primary skills are
naturally acquired, they help in learning teachable, domain-specific skills.
Binet: When performing a cognitive task requiring domain-specific knowledge (like a highly-
knowledgeable musician remembering a music piece belonging to a well-known category), the
presence or absence of this knowledge is the best predictor of performance. Intelligence is boosted
by increasing time spent in school, and not only by age.
Miller: Everyone has a limited capacity for processing information. However, this limit isn’t always
the same for everyone. What we know affects how much we can remember. Short-term memory
capacity can vary depending on our long-term knowledge.
Piaget: his stage theory of cognitive development missed the role of specific knowledge in learning.
He initially thought logical skills develop in a set order, but differences in when kids learn concepts,
like number conservation, showed otherwise. Later, he realized that specialized knowledge is crucial
for reasoning and problem-solving.
Bisseret: research found that experienced controllers excelled at recalling meaningful, job-related
information, compared to their inexperienced counterparts, indicating that domain-specific
knowledge significantly improves memory for relevant tasks.
De Groot: Masters were superior to lower ranked players not because they had acquired complex,
sophisticated general problem solving strategies, nor general memory capacity, but rather, because
they had acquired an enormous domain-specific knowledge base consisting of tens of thousands of
problem configurations along with the best move for each configuration. The only difference
between players that we have is in terms of domain-specific knowledge held in long-term memory.
Ericsson: Working memory’s capacity and duration limits apply only to novel, not familiar
information. Long-term working memory does not have the same capacity and duration limits as
short-term working memory. It may have no measurable limits. Knowledge held in long-term
memory dramatically changes performance. Expertise in complex areas can be fully explained by the
acquisition of domain-specific knowledge.
Chi: Physics experts categorized problems based on deep structural cues relevant to the solution,
while novices relied on superficial cues. Domain-specific knowledge significantly enhances problem-
solving and learning, even outperforming general cognitive abilities. Thus, teaching strategies should
Skills Does Not Work – A. Tricot and J. Sweller
Domain-specific knowledge: memorized information of theorem tied to a specific subject, like math.
Domain-general skills: broad abilities like critical thinking or problem-solving, that can be used across
different subjects.
Biologically primary knowledge: Knowledge that is naturally learned over generations, like language
or social skills. It is acquired easily and learned unconsciously. It cannot be taught at school because it
has already been acquired.
Biologically secondary knowledge: Knowledge that is important in our culture but isn't naturally
learned, like reading or math. It requires explicit instruction.
Geary: There is no solid evidence showing that domain-general strategies can be effectively taught,
as opposed to domain-specific knowledge, which can be taught. Even though primary skills are
naturally acquired, they help in learning teachable, domain-specific skills.
Binet: When performing a cognitive task requiring domain-specific knowledge (like a highly-
knowledgeable musician remembering a music piece belonging to a well-known category), the
presence or absence of this knowledge is the best predictor of performance. Intelligence is boosted
by increasing time spent in school, and not only by age.
Miller: Everyone has a limited capacity for processing information. However, this limit isn’t always
the same for everyone. What we know affects how much we can remember. Short-term memory
capacity can vary depending on our long-term knowledge.
Piaget: his stage theory of cognitive development missed the role of specific knowledge in learning.
He initially thought logical skills develop in a set order, but differences in when kids learn concepts,
like number conservation, showed otherwise. Later, he realized that specialized knowledge is crucial
for reasoning and problem-solving.
Bisseret: research found that experienced controllers excelled at recalling meaningful, job-related
information, compared to their inexperienced counterparts, indicating that domain-specific
knowledge significantly improves memory for relevant tasks.
De Groot: Masters were superior to lower ranked players not because they had acquired complex,
sophisticated general problem solving strategies, nor general memory capacity, but rather, because
they had acquired an enormous domain-specific knowledge base consisting of tens of thousands of
problem configurations along with the best move for each configuration. The only difference
between players that we have is in terms of domain-specific knowledge held in long-term memory.
Ericsson: Working memory’s capacity and duration limits apply only to novel, not familiar
information. Long-term working memory does not have the same capacity and duration limits as
short-term working memory. It may have no measurable limits. Knowledge held in long-term
memory dramatically changes performance. Expertise in complex areas can be fully explained by the
acquisition of domain-specific knowledge.
Chi: Physics experts categorized problems based on deep structural cues relevant to the solution,
while novices relied on superficial cues. Domain-specific knowledge significantly enhances problem-
solving and learning, even outperforming general cognitive abilities. Thus, teaching strategies should
