Problem Solving

Question 1

What is problem solving?

Answer 1

multi step process to shift your current problem state to a goal-state

Question 2

What is a well-defined problem?

Answer 2

• Requirements are unambiguous
• All information needed to solve the problem is present
• Applying Rules
• Puzzles

Question 3

What is an ill-defined problem?

Answer 3

• How to overcome problem / the goal is ambiguous
• Not straightforward
• Requires added information
• Must bring in outside info to formulate a solution path
• Situational

Question 4

What is goal directedness?

Answer 4

clear path to move from problem to solution

Question 5

which kind of problem requires more cognitive load?

Answer 5

ill-defined problem

Question 6

what is a cognitive load?

Answer 6

the amount of information held inmind at one time

Question 7

What is problem space?

Answer 7

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

Question 8

What are think aloud procedures used for?

Answer 8

Used to measure complex thinking to understand strategies

Question 9

what are concurrent verbalizations?

Answer 9

describe what you are doingas you do it

Question 10

What are retrospective verbalizations?

Answer 10

describe what you did at an earlier time

Question 11

What is a brute force approach?

Answer 11

Systematic algorithms represent all the possible steps from the problem state to goals,
go through all the options via a blind search

Question 12

What is combinatorial explosion?

Answer 12

computing too many alternatives takes

up more resources than are available

Question 13

What is the hill climbing strategy?

Answer 13

-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

Question 14

what is the means-end strategy?

Answer 14

Identifying sub-problems to complete the goal
- This strategy includes forward and backward movements and constantly evaluate the
difference between current and goal states

Question 15

What is analogical problem solving?

Answer 15

• 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

Question 16

What are surface details?

Answer 16

description of the story; what it is about

Question 17

what are structural details?

Answer 17

governing principles underlying a problem

Question 18

what is the einstellung effect?

Answer 18

The bias to use of only familiar methods and overlook more efficient or alternative
methods when problem solving

Question 19

what can emerge from einstellung effect?

Answer 19

rigid thinking

Question 20

What is functional fixedness?

Answer 20

The inability to see beyond the most common use of a particular object

Question 21

What is the general parts technique?

Answer 21

To overcome functional fixedness

1. Break down an object into the smallest components
2. Give each component the most generic name you can
   - Lifts the ‘constraint’ of your knowledge of the appropriate function of the object

Question 22

What is reproductive thinking?

Answer 22

the application of previously acquired knowledge

Question 23

what is productive thinking?

Answer 23

restructuring or re-defining how a problem is viewed to think of
new ways to solve it

Question 24

what is the result of productive thinking?

Answer 24

insight

Question 25

what us gestalt switches?

Answer 25

the experience of having a sudden switch in how you see something

Question 26

what are the four features of insight?

Answer 26

• 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

Question 27

What is insight-problem solving?

Answer 27

involuntary and feels like it happens suddenly, with ease

and comes with ‘pleasure’

Question 28

What is non-insight problem solving?

Answer 28

happens gradually and there is an awareness of

incremental success

Question 29

What is problem finding?

Answer 29

the ability to formulate a ’new’ problem can lead to new methods and outcomes

Question 30

what is blind variation?

Answer 30

A way of thinking in which errors or ‘stabs in the dark’ lead to a creative outcome by chance