Final Lecture 16: March 20 Flashcards
what is A problem
is the difference between a current state and a desired state ¤ Math problems
¤ Real world scenarios
Problem solving is a multi-step processes in which solutions are developed
to do what
shift from a current (problem) to a desired (goal) state ¤ A higher-order cognitive function
How a problem is solved depends on what
it’s structure ¤ Well-defined vs ill-defined problems
dfine Well-defined problems
Problems with defined constraints and a set goal state and path
what are Constraints
are limitations, rules or set boundaries
¤ The constraint of a bowling lane: You have to stay between the gutters
is there a clear set of steps (path) to move
from the problem to solution
yes
¤ The rules of bowling: You know you need to throw the ball at the pins to meet your goal
what is an example of a well defines problem
Sudoku
what is Goal directedness:
The processes engaged are to achieve a pre-set goal ¤You have your “Eyes on the prize”
¤Sudoku: Filling in all the cells
Anderson, 1985
what is Sequential operations:
The processes engaged are done in a sequence of steps ¤Like a recipe
¤Sudoku: Using a known method to fill in each square
how are Many cognitive operation used with well defines problesm
Distinct cognitive processes are used for these distinct steps
what is Subgoal decomposition:
There are intermediate goals to achieve a solution ¤ Nested structure
¤ Sudoku: Fill in rows then squares or fill in all number ‘2’s then number ‘5’s
what are the parts of well defines problems
Goal directedness
Sequential operations
Many cognitive operation
Subgoal decomposition
what are
Situations that have no clear path or way to move from the problem to the goal state
Why is your friend angry with you?
What courses will you take next year
are the goal state and path are specified in ill defined problems
The goal state and path are not specified (ambiguous)
¤ The ‘road’ to the solution is not clear
¤ There are few task constraints, or few
limitations for how to solve the problem
¤ There are often multiple solutions
¤ E.g., there are many ways and routes to walk from point A to B
A
B
Well- or ill-defined? How to get rid of smelly garbage
ill defines
Well- or ill-defined? Converting a unit of measurement from inches to centimeters
well defines
Well-defined problems have more_______ than ill-defined problems
task constraints
Greater activity in the right lateral prefrontal cortex for ill-defined anagrams or well- defined anagrams
ill defined
Solving ill-defined problems carry a greater ‘cognitive load’ why
because of the lack of task constraints
what are the 2 types of problem solving
analytic and insight
what are the characteristics of analytic problem solving
¤ Using step by step rules to reach a solution
¤ Conscious deliberation
¤ Information processing approaches
* next class
what are the characteristics of insight problem solving
¤ Creative approaches to reach a solution ¤ Open ended tasks
¤ Cognitive flexibility
What is insight?
¤A person can’t find the solution then the correct solution emerges into consciousness
¤The ‘Aha’ experience
¤Breaking free of assumptions to form new connections in mind to reach a solution
what are the Four features of Insight
suddeness
ease
positive in emotion
confidence
what is Suddeness:
The solution pops into mind with surprise
what is ¤Ease:
The solution comes quickly and fluently
what is ¤Positive in emotion:
A pleasant experience, even before assessing if the solution is effective
what is ¤Confidence:
The solution is believed to be appropriate
how are Gestalt and insight related
Concerned with an experience as a whole rather than consisting of the sum of parts
¤ Consciousness is organized into a coherent whole
Bi-stable figures demonstrate Gestalt switches: how
The experience of having a sudden switch in how you see something
Gestalt view: Two forms of thinking what are they
Structurally blind thinking/Reproductive thinking
Productive thinking
what is Productive thinking
Thinking that is based on general principles
Principles – not rules - are applied in new situations
¤ Aim is insight
what is Structurally blind thinking/Reproductive thinking
¤ Retrieving old patterns and applying them to the current situation ¤ Habitual mode of thinking
¤ Can lead to ‘strong but wrong’ patterns of thought
¤ Aim is efficiency
Productive thinking involves what
restructuring or re-defining how a problem is viewed rather than thinking of ways to solve
what is Functional fixedness
The inability to see beyond the most common use of a particular object
¤ Inability to recognize that something could perform a novel function that could solve
a current problem
¤ “Fixed” on the function for which something is designed
is Overcoming functional fixedness possible
Need to inhibit aspects of the normal functioning of the “human semantic, perceptual and motor systems.”
what are the 2 steps to General Parts Technique in overcoming functional fizes
¤ Break down an object into the smallest components. ¤ Give each component the most generic name you can
¤ Lift the ‘constraint’ of your semantic knowledge of that object
what is Mental fixedness
Negative transfer/mental sets
¤ Responding with previously learned rule sequences even when they are
inappropriate or less productive
what is the Einstellung effect:
The tendency to respond inflexibly to a particular type of problem (a rigid set) (part of mental fixedness)
what are 2 types of behaviours
Mindful vs mindless behaviours
what is To behave mindlessly
¤ acting as if a situation has only one possible interpretation
what is To behave mindfully
¤ actively seek new possibilities
how to prevent mindlessness,
think about things in a flexible rather than absolute manner
what is the difference between insight and non insight problem solving
Insight problem solving is involuntary and feels like it happens suddenly, with ease and comes with ‘pleasure’
¤Non-insight problem solving happens gradually and there is an awareness of incremental success
Metacognitive assessments (What you know about what you know) are accurate when
of non-insight problems are accurate, but not for insight problems
what is Progress monitoring theory
Insight and non-insight solutions rely on the same cognitive
mechanisms
We monitor our progress on a problem by examining the difference between current and goal state
We change how we solve a problem only when we can’t solve the problem with current methods, when we have reach a criterion failure
what is Representational change theory
Insight problem solving uses different processes than non-insight problem
solving
insight changes the way that we represent a problem with two special processes
according to the representational change theory; insight changes the way that we represent a problem with two special processes
what are they
Constraint relaxation
Chunk decomposition
what is Constraint relaxation
Remove assumptions that are blocking a problem solution
¤ Overcoming functional fixedness
what is Chunk decomposition
Separate a problem into chunks that are seen
as belonging together
¤ General Parts Technique
what is Compound Remote Associates
are short insight-like problems (creativity measure) ¤ See three words and find one word that forms a compound word or phrase with each one
Right hemisphere involvement, specifically the anterior temporal lobe, more active for what
insight problem solving
Supports forming new connections/distant relations ¤ New thoughts
what is Paralysis by analysis
Prefrontal cortex-mediated control processes leads to over-analytic thinking
¤ Interrupts the ‘flow’ of information and blocks insight
¤ Being in the zone involves not thinking about what you are doing
¤ Sports as an example: If you overthink, you might mess up!
what is Analogical problem solving
Related to Insight
¤Making comparisons between two situations and applying the
solution from one of the situations to the other situation
What to wear to a dinner party? Remember outfits from past parties. ¤ Target problem: the problem the person is trying to solve
¤ Source problem: the problem that shares similarity with the target problem
what are the three parts to Analogical problem solving
notice
mao
apply
what is notice
a relationship: there is an analogous relationship between source problem and target problem
what is Map
the correspondence between source and target via what is similar between the target and source problems
what is Apply
the mapping by generating a parallel solution for the target problem
what are he Two forms of similarity
Surface similarity:
Structural similarity
what is Surface similarity:
¤ The surface details of a problem (specific elements) are similar ¤ The parts of the problem look the same
¤ Two people with similar haircuts
what is Structural similarity:
¤ The causal relations among the main components are shared by both
problems.
¤ They are similar with respect to their ‘deep representations’
¤ The parts of the problem look different
¤ Two people who go to the same barber shop to get their haircut
how do Analogies work
Analogies work by making unfamiliar problems become familiar
¤Can lead to new solutions and creations by drawing parallels between things
¤Help us navigate new scenarios
¤Steve Jobs used a ‘desktop’ as an analogy to create the a personal computer
Summary
¤ Well-defined versus ill-defined problems ¤ Depends on task constraints
¤ Analytic versus insight problems
¤ Depends on how we achieve a solution
¤ Surface vs structural similarity in analogical problem solving
