8.2 Problem Solving, Judgement, and Decision Making Flashcards
Problem solving
means accomplishing a goal when the solution or the path to the solution is not clear
Algorithms
problem-solving strategies based on a series of rules
Heuristics
problem-solving strategies that stem from prior experiences and provide an educated guess as to what is the most likely solution
Mental set
a cognitive obstacle that occurs when an individual attempts to apply a routine solution to what is actually a new type of problem
Functional fixedness
Occurs when an individual identifies an object or technique that oculd potentially solve a problem, but can think of only its most obvious function
Conjunction fallacy
reflects the mistaken belief that finding a specific member in two overlapping categories is more likely than finding any member of one of the larger, general categories
Representativeness heuristic
making judgments of likelihood based on how well an example represents a specific category
Availability heuristic
estimating the frequency of an event based on how easily examples of it come to mind
Anchoring effect
occurs when an individual attempts to solve a problem invovling numbers and uses previous knowledge to keep the response within a limited range
Framing effect
decision making can be influenced by how a problem is worded or framed
Belief perseverance
when an individual remains committed to their decision or belief even in the face of evidence against it
Confirmation bias
when individuals search for only evidence that will confirm their beliefs instead of evidence that might disconfirm them
Satisfiers
individuals who seek to make decisions that are good enough - enjoy life more
Maximizers
individuals who attempt to evaluate every option for every choice until they find the perfect fit
Paradox of choice
more choices can lead to less satisfaction
