Problem Solving Flashcards
What is problem solving?
multi step process to shift your current problem state to a goal-state
What is a well-defined problem?
- Requirements are unambiguous
- All information needed to solve the problem is present
- Applying Rules
- Puzzles
What is an ill-defined problem?
- How to overcome problem / the goal is ambiguous
- Not straightforward
- Requires added information
- Must bring in outside info to formulate a solution path
- Situational
What is goal directedness?
clear path to move from problem to solution
which kind of problem requires more cognitive load?
ill-defined problem
what is a cognitive load?
the amount of information held inmind at one time
What is problem space?
representation of a problem that includes:
- Initial and goals states:
- Initial state = problem state
- Goal state = solution state
- Intermediate states or subgoals:
- Operators= the actions taken to change between these states(transformations)
- Task constraint
What are think aloud procedures used for?
Used to measure complex thinking to understand strategies
what are concurrent verbalizations?
describe what you are doingas you do it
What are retrospective verbalizations?
describe what you did at an earlier time
What is a brute force approach?
Systematic algorithms represent all the possible steps from the problem state to goals,
go through all the options via a blind search
What is combinatorial explosion?
computing too many alternatives takes
up more resources than are available
What is the hill climbing strategy?
-This is a difference reduction strategy
- Select the operation that brings you closer to the goal without examining the whole
problem space
-can lead to false outcomes
what is the means-end strategy?
Identifying sub-problems to complete the goal
- This strategy includes forward and backward movements and constantly evaluate the
difference between current and goal states
What is analogical problem solving?
- Making comparisons between two situations; applying the solution from one of the
situations to the other situation - Target: the situations the person is currently in
- Source: the situation that shares similarity with the targe
What are surface details?
description of the story; what it is about
what are structural details?
governing principles underlying a problem
what is the einstellung effect?
The bias to use of only familiar methods and overlook more efficient or alternative
methods when problem solving
what can emerge from einstellung effect?
rigid thinking
What is functional fixedness?
The inability to see beyond the most common use of a particular object
What is the general parts technique?
To overcome functional fixedness
- Break down an object into the smallest components
- Give each component the most generic name you can
- Lifts the ‘constraint’ of your knowledge of the appropriate function of the object
What is reproductive thinking?
the application of previously acquired knowledge
what is productive thinking?
restructuring or re-defining how a problem is viewed to think of
new ways to solve it
what is the result of productive thinking?
insight
what us gestalt switches?
the experience of having a sudden switch in how you see something
what are the four features of insight?
- Suddenness: The solution pops into mind with surprise
- Ease: The solution comes quickly and fluently
- Positive: A pleasant experience, even before assessing if the solution is effective
- Has been links to dopamine
- Confidence: The solution is believed to be the right one
What is insight-problem solving?
involuntary and feels like it happens suddenly, with ease
and comes with ‘pleasure’
What is non-insight problem solving?
happens gradually and there is an awareness of
incremental success
What is problem finding?
the ability to formulate a ’new’ problem can lead to new methods and outcomes
what is blind variation?
A way of thinking in which errors or ‘stabs in the dark’ lead to a creative outcome by chance
