Which subtheory focuses on novelty and automaticity of behavior in Sternberg's triarchic theory?

• A. Experiential subtheory
• B. Contextual subtheory
• C. Metacomponents
• D. Internal world

Answer: (A)

In Sternberg's triarchic theory, the experiential subtheory focuses on how people handle novel tasks and how cognitive processes become automatic with practice. This part of the theory explains how approaching a new or unusual problem requires conscious, exploratory thinking at first, and with repetition those procedures can be automated, freeing mental resources for more creative or advanced thinking. That combination—encountering novelty and building automatized responses through experience—drives performance on unfamiliar tasks and creative problem solving.

In contrast, the contextual subtheory deals with applying intelligence in real-world settings and adapting to or shaping the environment. The metacomponents refer to higher-order executive processes like planning, monitoring, and evaluating problem solving. An option like “internal world” isn’t a formal subtheory in Sternberg’s framework.