Problem Solving

Question 1

Lovett (2002) defined a problem as what?

Answer 1

an obstacle between the present state and a goal, and it isn’t clear how to proceed

Question 2

what are the four types of problems?

Answer 2

• well-defined
• ill-defined
• knowledge-lean
• knowledge-rich

Question 3

what are well-defined problems?

Answer 3

problems with an answer, where all info is present and you know what needs to be done

Question 4

what are ill-defined problems?

Answer 4

problems that may have more than one correct answer, and the route to the answer is not clear and its not obvious when goal is reached

Question 5

what types of problem does research typically focus on?

Answer 5

well-defined and knowledge-lean

Question 6

what are knowledge-lean problems?

Answer 6

problems that can be solved without prior knowledge e.g. finding a parking space

Question 7

what are knowledge-rich problems?

Answer 7

problems that are only solvable with relevant knowledge

Question 8

what is a cognitive miser?

Answer 8

someone who is economical with their time and effort on a task that requires thinking

Question 9

what are the three approaches to problem solving?

Answer 9

• Gestalt (whole) approach
• information processing
• using analogies

Question 10

how do you solve a problem using the Gestalt approach?

Answer 10

by restructuring it in another way - ‘representational restructuring’
insight (when the solution is suddenly seen) is caused by restructuring

Question 11

is insight real?

Answer 11

it is real in that people experience it, but it may not be a separate cognitive process

Question 12

what are two barriers to problem solving?

Answer 12

• functional fixedness
• mental set

Question 13

what is functional fixedness?

Answer 13

when ideas about an objects function can interfere with using the object more usefully

Question 14

what is mental set?

Answer 14

continuing to use a strategy that is not the most helpful

Question 15

what are two ways to increase insight?

Answer 15

incubation and sleep

Question 16

what is incubation?

Answer 16

stopping thinking about the problem for a while

Question 17

what is a limit of the Gestalt approach to problem solving?

Answer 17

Gestalt psychologists have not explained HOW the brain is involved in solving problems

Question 18

Newell & Simon’s (1970s) Information Processing Approach sees problem solving how?

Answer 18

problems are solved using a search process to choose between all possible options to get from the initial state to the end goal

Question 19

what methods are involved in solving problems in the information processing approach?

Answer 19

• planning
• heuristic methods e.g. hill climbing
• progress monitoring

Question 20

Koppenol-Gonzalez et al. (2010) found the tower of hanoi task used what method involved in IPA?

Answer 20

planning - p’s who spent longer planning made fewer mistakes
- limit on amount of planning due to limits in the STM

Question 21

do heuristic methods solve the problem of limitations to the STM?

Answer 21

yes - they’re ‘computationally cheap’

Question 22

when is the hill climbing method most often used?

Answer 22

when we have no clear understanding of the way to achieve the goal

Question 23

MacGregor et al. (2001) study on means-end analysis found what?

Answer 23

participants performed worse if they THOUGHT progress was being made - when they realise, they switch strategies

Question 24

how have neuropsychological studies provided evidence for IPA?

Answer 24

patients with damage to the PFC perform worse

Question 25

what are the pros of IPA in regards to problem solving?

Answer 25

• applies rules to reduce complexity of problem solving
• general enough to apply to a variety of problems
• fits with standard models of memory

Question 26

what are the cons of IPA?

Answer 26

• assumes problem solving is serial
• don’t know if it can be applied to ill-defined problems

Question 27

what are analogies?

Answer 27

using the solution of one problem to guide the solution to another (similar) problem

Question 28

medical expertise regarding cancer tested in eye tracking studies found what?

Answer 28

the more medical expertise, the faster eyes move to diagnostic areas, suggesting the doctors use holistic and global processes rather than a bit by bit search

Question 29

does how you frame a problem influence its complexity and difficulty?

Answer 29

yes