L9: Problem Solving

Question 1

3 Major Aspects of Problem Solving

Answer 1

1. Purposeful
2. Based on controlled, rather than automatic processes
3. You lack the relevant knowledge to generate an immediate solution

Question 2

Criteria of a well-defined problem

Answer 2

1. Problem has a clearly defined given state
2. Finite set of rules
3. Clear goal

Question 3

Criteria of an ill-defined problem

Answer 3

1. Not obvious when the goal has been reached
2. Not obvious what information is relevant

Question 4

4 different types of problems

Answer 4

1. Well-defined
2. Ill-defined
3. Knowledge-rich
4. Knowledge-lean

Question 5

Algorithm vs Heuristic

Answer 5

Algorithm is systematic step-by-step operations that covers the entire problem space and guarantees a solution if one exists. Heuristic is a rule of thumb that produces approximately correct solutions.

Question 6

What problem-solving heuristics are there?

Answer 6

1. Means-End Analysis
2. Hill Climbing
3. Progress Monitoring
4. Planning
5. Using analogies

Question 7

What are the steps for the means-end analysis?

Answer 7

1. Note the difference between the current state and goal state
2. Form subgoal between current and goal state
3. Select a mental operator / operation that allows this subgoal to be attained

Question 8

What is hill climbing?

Answer 8

People take the action that leads to the biggest similarity between the current state and the goal state.

Question 9

What is progress monitoring?

Answer 9

The rate of progress is assessed constantly, and if deemed to be inefficient, an alternative strategy is sought.

Question 10

What is the availability method?

Answer 10

Use the first solution that comes to mind.

Question 11

Insight vs Non-Insight problems

Answer 11

Insight problems are characterised by sudden solutions that come to people in a moment of insight. Non-insight problems are more straightforward and typically require step-by-step reasoning to reach a solution.

Question 12

What is the representational change theory?

Answer 12

We have to represent the problem differently, which removes the block.

Question 13

Does incubation and sleep facilitate insight?

Answer 13

Yes, incubation is more useful for creative problems having multiple solutions and when there was relatively long preparation time prior to incubation.

Question 14

5 characteristics of eye movements for experts

Answer 14

1. Shorter fixations
2. Faster first fixations on task-relevant information
3. More fixations on task-relevant information
4. Fewer fixations on task-irrelevant areas
5. Longer eye movements

Question 15

3 requirements for deliberate practice

Answer 15

1. Task not too easy or difficult
2. Feedback given
3. Adequate opportunities to repeat task & correct errors

Question 16

What does deliberate practice cause?

Answer 16

Fast transfer of information between STM and LTM -> creates expertise

Question 17

What problems can past experience cause?

Answer 17

1. Functional fixedness
2. Mental set

Question 18

What is functional fixedness?

Answer 18

We fail to solve problems because we assume from past experience that any given object has only a limited number of functions

Question 19

What is mental set?

Answer 19

People tend to persist with methods that worked before, but a particular strategy might become no longer applicable.

Question 20

What is analogical problem solving?

Answer 20

A type of problem solving based on detecting analogies or similarities between the current problem and problems solved in the past.

Question 21

What are templates?

Answer 21

Forms or patterns in long-term memory that allow us to recognise familiar, meaningful stimuli by matching the input to the forms/patterns stores in memory and selecting the one that fits.

Question 22

What is brainstorming?

Answer 22

A method of problem solving in which participants generate a wide variety of possible, non-typical solutions and subsequently look at whether some of these solutions can be turned into useful solutions. Used when confronted with a block in insight problems, with functional fixedness or with a mental set.

Question 23

What is motivated reasoning?

Answer 23

The observation that people tend to reason in ways that make the conclusion they favour more likely.