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Psychology Fall Sem 2024 > Chapter 12: Problem Solving (PSY311) > Flashcards

Chapter 12: Problem Solving (PSY311) Flashcards

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1
Q

Def: Problem

A

an obstacle between a present state and a goal

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2
Q

Def: Problem solving

A

working around some obstacles to achieve some goal
Goal directed behavior & thoughts
Impasse to be worked around

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3
Q

The Gestalt approach is that success in solving issues is influenced by how it’s ___________ in our minds.

A

represented

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4
Q

Components to problem solving:

A

Initial state
Goal state
Subgoals
Operators

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5
Q

Def: Initial state

A

the starting point of problem solving.

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6
Q

Def: Goal state

A

End goal that you want to achieve

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7
Q

Def: Subgoals

A

Target immediate steps

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8
Q

Def: Operators

A

Rules for legal moves to intermediate states.

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9
Q

Def: Intermediate state

A

created by each action by a sequence of choices of steps.
Made by Newell & Simon

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10
Q

Mental Representations do what?

A

All possible actions, operators.
Represents obstances
Configure a reasonable method around obstacles while obeying rules & moving towards the goal.

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11
Q

Def: Well Defined problems

A

Clear initial state & goal state
Clear operators & possible moves

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12
Q

Def: Ill defined problems

A

Might have unclear initial state and/or goal state
Unclear operators or possible moves

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13
Q

Def: Insight

A

any sudden comprehension, realization or problem solution that involves a reorganization of a person’s mental representation of a stimulus, situation, or event to yield an interpretation that wasn’t initially obv.
This is a type of ill-defined problem

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14
Q

Def: Analytically based issues

A

problems solved by a process of systematic analysis, often us8ing techniques based on past experiences.

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15
Q

We have strategies: either rely on ______ strategies or we develop new ones

A

prev

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16
Q

Def: Fixation

A

our tendency to focus on a specific characteristic of the issue that keeps us from arriving at a solution.

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17
Q

Def: Reproductive thinking

A

applying successful methods to accomplish a similar task
Scaling issues (same strategy, diff operators)
Aka- reproduce what works for you

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18
Q

Def: Productive thinking

A

shift in perspective.
Requires insight
The 4-line issue requires thinking outside the box and self-imposed operators
Producing new thoughts/ideas to solve issues.

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19
Q

Def: Functional fixedness

A

Functional fixedness: focusing on familiar functions or uses of an object.

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20
Q

Def: Mental set

A

a preconceived notion abt how to approach a problem, determined by our experience of what has worked in the past

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21
Q

Def: Water jug problem

A

participants were told that their task was to figure out on paper how to obtain a required volume of water, then were given 3 empty jars.

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22
Q

________________ used a computer program that was made to simulate our problem solving.
This is the beginning of a research program that ________ problem solving as a process that involves search.

A

Newell & Simon, describes

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23
Q

Why is the Tower of Hanoi important?

A

It illustrates means-end analysis, with its setting of subgoals, this can be applied IRL.

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24
Q

Def: Think-aloud procedure

A

participants were asked to solve a problem and say out loud all of their thoughts. Determine what info one is attending to while solving an issue

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25
Q

Def: General Problem Solver (GPS) Theory

A

Model to account for problem solving processes
Looks at how do we go thru the steps of solving an issue

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26
Q

Requirements for General Problem Solver (GPS) Theory

A

Mental representation of initial and goal state
A search thru the problem space

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27
Q

Def: Algorithm

A

a set of procedures for solving a problem type
Eventually leads to a solution
Time consuming, high working memory & LTM demands

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28
Q

Def: Heuristics (chp 12)

A

rule of thumb that generally leads to the correct answer
Fast, less cognitively taxing
Uline algorithms, doesn’t guarantee the correct solution
Often used when issues are ill-defined, less confidence in representation.

29
Q

Types of Problem Solving Heuristics

A

Random Search
Analogy
Hill Climbing

30
Q

Def: Random Search

A

Trial & error
Pick an option, see what happens.

31
Q

Def: Analogy

A

Seeing parallels between current problem space & another solve problem space
Difficult to use bc it requires lot of background knowledge

32
Q

Def: Hill Climbing

A

Thinking one move ahead
Which move most closely represents the goal?

33
Q

Def: analogy transfer

A

application of problem space to solve a current problem.

34
Q

Def: Target problem

A

the problem the participant is trying to solve.

35
Q

Def: Source problem

A

another problem that shares some similarities with the target problem & that illustrates a way to solve the target problem

36
Q

3 steps to the analogical problem solving:

A

Noticing that there are analogous relationships between the source and target problem.
Mapping the correspondences between the source and target problem.
Applying the mapping to generate a parallel solution to the target problem.

37
Q

_______ & ________ are the 2 steps of the analogical problem solving technique that is the hardest to follow.

A

Mapping, Noticing

38
Q

Def: Analogical encoding

A

the process by which 2 issues are compared & similarities between them are determined.

39
Q

Def: Trade-off strategy

A

a strategy that involves negotiating in which one person says to another “I’ll give you this, if you give me that”. This would require them both to switch this and that. Hence, the name

40
Q

Def: Constituency strategy

A

a negotiating strategy when one person gets what they want if something else happens.

41
Q

Def: Analogical paradox

A

states that people routinely use analogies irl.

42
Q

Def: Creativity

A

anything made by ppl that is in some way new and has potential value/utility

43
Q

Def: Functional fixedness

A

restricting use of objects to its familiar functions.

44
Q

Candle dilemma

A

Seeing boxes as containers inhibited the idea of using them as supports to hold the candle on the wall.

44
Q

Majer’s 2-string problem:

A

The participant is tasked with tying the 2 strings together. But they are too far apart to be grabbed at the same time while hanging from the ceiling.

45
Q

Experts solve issues _____ than novices.

A

faster

46
Q

Novices look for ______ features while experts look for _________ features (for rules)

A

surface, structural

47
Q

Experts have more _________ than novices, they can also organize knowledge __________ than novices do.

A

knowledge, differently

48
Q

Organizing based on principles results in more ________ problem solving, and experts’ ability to ________ knowledge has been found to be important not just for chess & physics but also for other fields as well.

A

effective, organize

49
Q

Experts spend more time _________________ the problem rather than solving it.

A

understanding

50
Q

Grant & Spivey Eye movements & Problem Solving

A

Researcher considered eye movements as The window of the mind
Assumptions are related to what you are thinking of.
Duncker’s retaliation problem (a story related to analogy)
Participants were asked to draw the situation in the story while the researchers are looking for instances of insight while tracking their eye movements.
Successful problem solvers spend more time viewing the skin area compared to the non successful problem solvers.
Evidence that what ppl look at is related to how they solve issues

51
Q

Grant & Spivey’s 2nd experiment

A

Showed that features that draw participants’ attention increased the chances of solving issues (if the features help to solve it).
Directing attention towards skin led to greater success.
Attention is related to problem solving cognition

52
Q

In context of solving a problem:

A

Looking at objects critical to solving the problem is important.
Our attention can be directed by the situation itself or we need to determine where our attention should be in order to best solve the issue.

53
Q

Def: Divergent thinking

A

thinking that is open ended, which involves a huge amount of potential solutions bc some proposals might work better than others.

54
Q

Explain Creativity 101 by Kaufman

A

Creativity 101, written by Kaufman, notes that divergent thinking is a cornerstone of creativity, but it’s not all of creativity.
Creative responses to issues need to be useful.

55
Q

Sometimes too much knowledge can _______ creative problem solving.

A

hinder

56
Q

Def: Group brainstorming

A

to encourage ppl to freely express their own ideas could be useful for solving a specific issue.
However, placing ppl in groups can result in fewer ideas presented; it can still be effective.

57
Q

Def: Creative cognition

A

15 object parts were shown, one is instructed to pick 3. Read the instructions, then take a minute to think of a new object using those 3 parts. You’d know it works if the object looks interesting and is useful.
Created by Finke.

58
Q

Def: Preinventive forms

A

what Finke refers to as “inventions” bc they are still ideas that precede the creation of a finished creative product

59
Q

Ppl remember material more when they make it _________, this also happens for retrieval cues too.

A

themselves

60
Q

Def: Nine-dot problem

A

a problem where the participant has to draw 2 straight lines that go thru nine dots with the pen on the paper at all times.

61
Q

Def: Transcranial direct current stimulation

A

2 electrodes are put on one’s head. One electrode is negatively charged which would decrease the excitability of neurons under it. The other has the opposite effect.

62
Q

Def: Compound Remote-associate problem

A

3 words are presented, and the task is to determine one word that would combine with each of the others to form a new word or phrase.

63
Q

EEG activity ________ in the frontal lobe just before the insight solutions & increases in the __________ lobe just before the noninsight solutions.

A

increases, occipital

64
Q

Def: Alternate uses task (AUT)

A

participants had 2mins to think of unusual uses for common objects

65
Q

Def: Executive control network (ECN)

A

involved in directing attention as one is carrying out tasks, plays an important role in creativity

66
Q

DMN & ECN were functionally _________ in both the generation & evaluation stages of the creative process.

A

connected

67
Q

DMN & ECN were more ________ connected with highly __________ ppl.

A

strongly, creative

Psychology Fall Sem 2024 (24 decks)

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