Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

LBC > II: Problem Solving > Flashcards

II: Problem Solving Flashcards

1
Q

Clients (sometimes with help) set change goals

A
  • Internal Changes-feel differently, change thought pattern, feel better about themselves, stop obsessing, internally feel differently
  • External Changes-have a relationship that needs to be different, issue at work
  • Behavioral Changes-substance abuse
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

Two Approaches to Problem Solving

A

Expertise-solving problems by knowledge or direct experience

Analogical-unfamiliar or unique, novel problems

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Which approach to problem solving do therapists engage in more often?

A

More analogical in the beginning, expertise with experience.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

Newell and Simon Framework for Modern Day Problem-Solving

A 
Initial State
Goal State
Operators
Constraints (Internal, External)
Problem Space
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Initial State

A

-where someone is right now at start of what engaging in; givens, understand to be true about circumstance

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Goal State

A

-desired end point, where to end up; intake session from here to there; what direction headed

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

Operators

A

-resources at disposal of client, make easier for client to move from initial state to goal state, skills abilities social support family support resources to pursue therapy; things that make it easier

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Constraints

A

things that interfere with ability of client to move to goal state
Clients tend to overestimate constraints, see as bigger than they truly are

  • -Internal Constraints: client preferences, thought patterns, interpersonal style; things that are going to be inside client to limit ability; self-limiting beliefs
  • -External Constraints: things outside of them that are limitations; problematic relationship; institutional constraints e.g. resources
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Internal Constraints

A

client preferences, thought patterns, interpersonal style; things that are going to be inside client to limit ability; self-limiting beliefs

Clients tend to overestimate constraints, see as bigger than they truly are

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

External Constraints

A

things outside of them that are limitations; problematic relationship; institutional constraints e.g. resources

Clients tend to overestimate constraints, see as bigger than they truly are

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

Problem Space

A

-area encompassed by where we are, where to go, what is in favor, what is against us

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Newell and Simon Research

A

Research from early ‘70s

Definitions and framework for modern day problem solving

Difficult for clients having a hard time practicing logic in problem solving

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Client Definition of Problems: Two Types

A

Well-defined problems

Ill-defined problems

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Well-defined Problem

A

Well-defined problems where all four components present and clearly understood
Rare in therapy

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Ill-defined Problem

A

Ill-defined problems lack one or more components

E.g. might not have clear sense of what they want/their goal, “I want things to be different”

Unintentionally misrepresented one of the components
When facing ill-defined problems, clients must fill in missing information on their own—this is where therapist expertise is important

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Expertise

A

Important when dealing with ill-defined problems

  • –Helps structure problem space, categorize problem to reduce impact of unknown information: e.g. this is a mood problem
  • *Clients report symptoms, rule out details to make problem space smaller, easier to work with
  • –Enhances flexibility when dealing with inconsistencies between current and previous problems
  • –Improves adaptability when information becomes available
17
Q

Expert’s Approach to Problems

A
  • Knowledge is better organized
  • Spend more time initially encoding problem but solve more rapidly and effectively
  • Identify and weed out irrelevant information more effectively
18
Q

Unfamiliar Problems

A

Often use general purpose heuristic approaches when facing unfamiliar problems

Clients come to therapy with developed but ineffective problem solving strategies

19
Q

Heuristics: Pros and Cons

A 
Pros: 
Can be adapted to many situations
Generally represent a purposeful approach
Usually better than trial and error
Faster

Cons:
Tend to be relatively weak problem solving approaches
Often require considerable effort with little guarantee of success

20
Q

Heuristic

A

Shortcuts use to make decisions more quickly, broader, faster conclusions

21
Q

Heuristic Approaches to Problem Solving: Hill Climbing

A

Hiker lost in woods, trying to summit, foggy, can’t see ahead of you but just continue going up, as soon as path stops going up you turn around, go back to fork and find a new up path

Systematic trial and error
One of the least powerful heuristics
Choosing actions that only lead to particular outcomes that are more similar to goal state than current state

When it is useful:

  • Limited options, not too many things to try to consider
  • No good evidence to suggest one option is better than another

-E.g. SSRI

22
Q

Heuristic Approaches to Problem Solving: Working Backwards

A

Start at goal state and trace back to initial state
Typically fewer ways to reach a goal than choices
Requires well-defined goal
Miracle questions and brief therapies

When is it not useful:

  • Requires well-defined goal
  • Difficult if goal is undefined, ambiguous, not something they care about

-e.g. Mazes on restaurant placemats

23
Q

Heuristic Approaches to Problem Solving: Means-End Analysis

A

Assess differences between initial and goal states
Develop plan to reduce differences

Requires series of subgoals working back from goal state and forward from current state

Problem Decomposition
Break it down into pieces,

Drawbacks:

  • Requires a lot of work, intimidating
  • If things change, can get stuck
  • Requires defined overarching goal

-E.g., world renown psychotherapist, requires MA, PhD, PA training institute, etc.

24
Q

Impasse and Restructuring

A

Clients become stuck during the course of therapy: plateau/reach an impasse

Impasse resolved by “aha” experience (insight)
Insight results from sudden restructuring of problem space

25
Q

How do impasses occur? Do we want to avoid them? How does successful restructuring take place?

A

Occur when critical details are left out

learn and include necessary details

26
Q

Impasse in Problem Solving

A

Occurs when:

  • Model of problem situation diverts attention from problem-relevant details
  • Misrepresent critical details
  • Details left out
  • Fail to present/represent crucial information
  • Incorporate unnecessary constraints; self-limited
  • May not overtly express/identify as a restraint

-Leads to insight and resolution when the difficulties force problem space restructuring and consideration of unnoticed operators

27
Q

Impasse in Therapy

A

Impasses in therapy=two goals are mutual exclusive (at least as client has represented them)

Solutions:

  • Changing goals
  • Changing client’s representation of the one/both goals

Functional Fixedness may impede restructuring
Negative Set perpetuate inefficient problem solving
–Wisconsin card sorting test-stuck in one sorting task

Clients not the only ones subject to impasses
Client see impasse that you don’t see: not making progress at the rate client expecting

28
Q

Restructuring

A 
Provide insight, get through impasse
Focus on different aspect of the problem
Rethink assumptions about operators
Reevaluate constraints
Scale down version of the problem/relax constraints
Employ useful analogy
29
Q

Problem Solving Using Analogy

A

Apply knowledge from one situation to another

Ormrod’s section of Transfer

Three steps to deriving solutions from analogy

1) Create or identify an appropriate analogue
- —Structural similarity or surface similarity
2) Map elements of current situation onto the analogue
3) Adapt analogue solution for application to current problem

30
Q

Deriving Solutions from Analogy: 3 Steps

A

Create or identify an appropriate analogue
—Structural similarity or surface similarity
Map elements of current situation onto the analogue
Adapt analogue solution for application to current problem

31
Q

Identifying Analogies

A

Structural similarity

  • –Operates in same way
  • –Problem they understand, hypothetical

Surface similarity

  • –Lack may prevent retrieval/identification of suitable analogues
  • —Looks the same—wind up v electric toy car example
  • —Surface sim resonates most w clients

Therapists need to guide process

  • —Has this happened before? How did you solve it then?
  • —Finding exceptions to the problems
32
Q

Mapping Analogue Elements

A

Mapping elements from analogue to current problem can be a challenge:

  • –Lack factual knowledge—misconceptions or misunderstandings about elements of problem
  • –Imperfect connection between analogue and problem
  • –Negative set may cause elements of analogue to impose unnecessary constraints on current problem
33
Q

Adapting Solution Principles

A

Solution must be abstractly understood well enough that it can be transferred to a conceptually similar but physically dissimilar situation

Better if solution principle is generated by client than therapist

People are better are applying analogies when presented with two or more example problems

34
Q

Expert Use or Analogy

A

Because experts represent knowledge more conceptually, they are better suited to retrieve analogues with structural similarity

What’s the danger of this approach?
Not understood

LBC (12 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions