Cognitive Processes in Learning and Schema Activation

In the field of psychology, researchers have explored the role of cognitive processes in various types of learning, particularly emphasizing how understanding and mental representation can influence the learning experience. A study was conducted to determine how prior knowledge affects problem-solving abilities in novel situations. Participants were presented with a mathematical problem and divided into two groups: one group received prior contextual information related to the problem, while the other group did not.

Based on this study, which cognitive phenomenon best describes the effect of prior knowledge on the participants' ability to solve the problems presented?