10 - Problem Solving

Question 1

what is a problem space

Answer 1

consists of initial state, goal state and all possible mental operators that can be applied to any state to change it into a different state

Question 2

what is the central principle of gestalt psychology

Answer 2

the mind forms a global whole with self-organizing tendencies

Question 3

reproductive thinking

Answer 3

involves the systematic reuse of previous experiences

Question 4

productive thinking

Answer 4

a novel restructuring of the problem and is more complex

Question 5

what is mental set

Answer 5

continuing to use a previously successful problem-solving strategy even when it is inappropriate or sub-optimal

Question 6

means-ends analysis

Answer 6

involves the procurement of mini-goals within a larger goal to better analyse progress

Question 7

strategies: hill climbing

Answer 7

involves changing present state within the problem into one closer to the goal

a focus on short-term goals

Question 8

3 main types of analogical problem solving

Answer 8

Superficial similarity

structural similarity

procedural similarity

Question 9

superficial similarity

Answer 9

solution-irrelevant details (e.g. specific obejcts) are common to the two problems

Question 10

structural similarity

Answer 10

casual relations among some of the main components are shared by both problems

Question 11

procedural similarity

Answer 11

procedures for turning the solution principle into concrete operations are common to both problems

Question 12

sequential processing stages for four-term analogy problems

Answer 12

encoding - the first pair of words based on the relationship between them

mapping - a connection is formed between the first words of each pair and an inference drawn as to the fourth word

response - decision concerning the correctness of the fourth word