10 - Problem Solving and Creativity

Question 1

define problem solving

Answer 1

the effort directed toward finding ways to obtain one’s goals

Question 2

problems can be_

Answer 2

• well or ill defined
• routine or nonroutine

Question 3

many factors influence problem solving success, name 4

Answer 3

the use of heuristics, experience, insight and creativity

Question 4

define “well-defined” problem

Answer 4

clear
- has a given state, goal state and operators are clearly defined

Question 5

define “ill-defined” problem

Answer 5

broader
-vague problem to solve
- not clear what the path to solution would be

Question 6

define a “routine” problem

Answer 6

• problems in which you are familiar with the solution

Question 7

define a “non-routine” problem

Answer 7

• a little more difficult
• don’t see it as often
• solution will take some time to develop
  *little experience with problem

Question 8

what is 1 way to success in problem solving?

Answer 8

creating well-defined sub goals (break up big problems into sub-chunks)
- if it’s too broad you can limit problem to more constrained space

Question 9

define problem space

Answer 9

the set of all states that can be reached in solving the problem
- lets us see what the solutions are, usually too vast for most problems
*problem solving AS A SEARCH

Question 10

name 2 general problem-solving heuristics

Answer 10

• hill-climbing strategy
• means-end analysis

Question 11

define hill-climbing strategy

Answer 11

at each step in solving a problem, choose the option that moves you in the direction of your goal
*doesn’t always have to go upwards

Question 12

define means-end analysis

Answer 12

“what means do I have to make my current state more like my goal state?”
*breaking down into sub goals and establishing how you can reach the goal right now

Question 13

what’s another general problem-solving heuristic strategy?

Answer 13

drawing out the problem can be more effective
- visualizing

Question 14

why is experience important in problem solving?

Answer 14

general heuristics are great but often we use our past experiences
- compare a current problem with past problem we have already solved through ANALOGICAL REASONING

Question 15

how is problem solving done via analogy?

Answer 15

• spontaneously engaging in analogical reasoning is quite rare
• problem solving can be improved by encouraging people to focus on the deep structure at initial learning of the problem (trying to relate it to other structures from the beginning will help)

Question 16

who uses analogies more, experts/novices?

Answer 16

*experts use analogies more than novices!
- form analogies in their field

Question 17

what is relational learning (analogy problem solving)

Answer 17

learning new info in relation to things you already know
- will only improve analogical reasoning if it happened at the time of learning/encoding
- if you learn something and then later on are told about the relationship between things, won’t be as effective

Question 18

how can problem solving be approached through sub-goals?

Answer 18

• problems can be broken up into subproblems
• experts are more likely to do this than novices
  *chess board example, looked at viable plays vs position

Question 19

define functional fixedness

Answer 19

the tendency to be rigid in thinking about an object’s function
ex. only thinking of box as container

Question 20

how does functional fixedness affect problem-solving?

Answer 20

• limits problem solving
• guides/limits solutions you come up with
  *want to think of big picture, not rigid thinking

Question 21

describe “problem-solving set”

Answer 21

• collection of beliefs and assumptions a person makes about a problem
• similar to Einstellung (problem solver’s beliefs, habits and preferred strategies)
  *constrains our thinking

Question 22

how do problem-solving sets affect problem solving?

Answer 22

• often develop a strategy that works for certain problems and try to use it for new problems
• not constantly reevaluating and looking for new strategies/solutions even if new ones might be more efficient

Question 23

list the prerequisites for creativity in highly creative ppl

Answer 23

• great knowledge and skill in the domain
• certain personality traits (willingness to take risks, ignore criticism)
• motivated by pleasure of work, not external rewards
• “in the right place at the right time” (maybe had right cues from environment that led to solution)

Question 24

what does creativity mean in terms of problem solving?

Answer 24

some ppl are more flexible in approaches to problems and others rely on routine

Question 25

what are the 4 proposed stages of creative thought (Wallas)

Answer 25

Preparation
Incubation
Illumination
Verification

Question 26

describe the preparation stage

Answer 26

• information gathering, getting ready to solve

Question 27

describe the incubation stage

Answer 27

• set the problem aside, let brew in mind (continues to work on it unconsciously)

Question 28

describe the illumination stage

Answer 28

key insight/new idea emerges (something good comes up, aware of it)
*eureka/aha moment

Question 29

describe the verification stage

Answer 29

confirmation that the new idea leads to a solution
- work out the details

Question 30

What part of the 4-stage process is supported by evidence/not?

Answer 30

• not much evidence that we think this way
• BUT cyclical process/back and forth is right

Question 31

are eureka/aha moments common?

Answer 31

no
- most ideas are generated gradually
- people actively working towards a solution, developing it incrementally, sometimes aha moment but you usually build up to it

Question 32

what did a study looking at 30 sec before a solution find?

Answer 32

whether or not you came up with a solution, felt “warmer” to it at 30 sec
*not necessarily associated with awareness of correctness of a solution
- ppl are aware of solution even in aha moment

Question 33

what area of the brain has heightened activity during problem solving that requires insight?

Answer 33

heightened gamma activity
- right temporal??

Question 34

why might incuation increase chances of solving a problem requiring creativity?

Answer 34

• mind wandering helps related ideas come to mind because of spread activation (might get you out of functional fixedness)
• fatigue in seeking a solution could be relieved with a break
  *sometimes continuing to chip away at it is better

Question 35

in many regards, creative people are not much different than others. They often are…

Answer 35

• motivated
• experts in the field they are in
• willing to take risks

Question 36

creative people are probably good at all 3 of these:

Answer 36

• convergent thinking
• divergent thinking
• forward flow

Question 37

define convergent thinking

Answer 37

an ability to spot ways in which seemingly distince ideas might be interconnected

Question 38

which task assesses convergent thinking?

Answer 38

remote associates task

Question 39

define divergent thinking

Answer 39

an ability to move one’s thoughts in novel, unanticipated directions

Question 40

how can divergent thinking be assessed?

Answer 40

• test that asks you to think of new uses for sample objects
• no correct answer, being able to come up with the longest list and being creative enough to imagine using it in diff ways

Question 41

define forward flow

Answer 41

how much one’s current thinking breaks away from past thoughts
- “how are you going to think abotu things differently than you though about before?”

Question 42

how can forward flow be assessed?

Answer 42

forward flow test (gray et al., 2019)