Problem Solving Flashcards
An obstacle between a present state and a goal, and a situation in which it’s not immediately obvious how to get around the given obstacle, posing a challenge in some way.
problem
Changing a problems representation in the mind/form it takes
restructuring
Involves the sudden realization of a problem’s solution and often requires restructuring the problem.
insight
The triangle problem and chain problem are both ________ approaches to insight.
Gestalt
Gestalt approach in researching insight in which you have to move three dots to get the triangle to point to the bottom of the page. (Brah i feel lowkey stupid what the hell idk how to do this; just kidding, I did it, I JUST had insight. Very nice.)
triangle problem
Gestalt approach in researching insight in which a woman has four pieces of a chain, each piece is made of 3 links, and she wants to make a single closed loop of chain. Opening a link costs 2 cents and closing one costs 3 cents. She only has 15 cents. How does she do it? (Okay but for this one fuck if i know tbh…maybe she gets a job or smth…)
chain problem
(Okay i searched up the answer and damn that makes sense. Open all of the links in one of the chains (6 cents), use those open links to connect the other chains, and then close all the links (9 cents); 6 + 9 = 15)
(Why didn’t I think of that???)
Why couldn’t I solve the chain problem?
I probably had a mental set.
Preconceived notion about how to approach a problem based on a person’s past experiences with the problem or similar examples.
Mental set
In the Gestalt water-jug experiment, one group had to do complex math problems before seeing how to measure desired amount of water with the 3 filled jug sizes. Them doing these complex problems before the water-jug task affected the way they approached the measuring, making this group choose the more complex solution more frequently. All participants in the other group used the simple solution. This just goes to show that doing the complex math problems before led to them developing a __________(2), which was an obstacle to their problem solving process.
mental set
restricting use of an object to it’s familiar functions; having tunnel vision when thinking about ways an object can or should be used (2)
functional fixedness
In a room with a vertical cork-board mounted on the wall, you’re given some candles, matches in a matchbox, and some tacks. The task is to mount a candle on the cork-board so it will burn without dripping wax on the floor. This is known as the ________ (2)
Candle problem
Which 2 problems test functional fixedness and why?
the candle problem
- people too set on using the match/tack box as a container for the matches and tacks that they don’t realize it can be used as a candle holder OR a support that the candle can burn on/collect its wax on
two-string problem
- people see pliers as pliers to grab, but they don’t think of the pliers as a weight that could be used -> functional fixedness
manipulated variable in candle problem (boxes)
empty or not
- empty boxes -> better problem solving
- boxes as containers for the tacks -> functional fixedness
Two strings are hanging from the ceiling at a distance that seems to be too far apart to be grasped by the same person at the same time. There is also a chair and pliers provided. How can someone grasp both of the strings at the same time? This is called the __________ (3).
two-string problem
What is the two-string problem testing and why?
functional fixedness
- people don’t see the pliers as a weight they seem them as pliers so they don’t think of grabbing one string while having the other swing back to them with the pliers as a weight for the swing
The Problem space consists of 3 states:
- Initial state
- Intermediate state
- Goal state
The Tower of Hanoi problem studies the __________ (2) approach to problem solving, and birthed the idea of the __________ (2).
information-processing approach
problem space (initial, intermediate, then goal state)
rules which specify what moves are allowed within a given problem space
operators
Tower of Hanoi operators:
Initial state vs. Intermediate state vs. Goal state of Tower of Hanoi Problem space:
Operators:
- move one disc at a time
- move disc only when no discs are on it (which is logic…lol…like how else)
- larger disk cannot go on top of smaller disc *
Problem space:
- Initial state: all rings on peg 1, biggest at the bottom, smallest at the top
- Intermediate state: rearranging the rings
- Goal state: all rings on peg 3, biggest at the bottom, smallest at the top
type of information-processing approach to problem solving that involves reducing the differences between initial and goal states (3)
means-end analysis
creates intermediates states between the initial and goal states in the means-end analysis
- people solve problems with steps or:
subgoals
Working backwards to solve a problem
- this king is in checkmate on a chessboard, let’s work backwards to figure out how that may have happened
retrograde analysis
type of feature relevant for analogical transfer that refers to the elements of a given problem
surface features
type of feature relevant for analogical transfer that refers to the underlying principles that govern the solution to a problem
structural features
(think underlying -> structural)
process of applying knowledge or solutions from one situation (familiar problem) to another (new, similar situation)
analogical transfer
more obvious structural features and surface features =
better analogical problem solving
Duncker’s Radiation Problem:
- tumour destroyed by high intensity ray
- high intensity ray might destroy healthy tissue
- low intensity ray won’t
Solution
- multiple low intensity rays, intensities add up when all focused on the tumour to destroy the tumour, but don’t hurt the other tissue they each have to pass through
Gick and Holyoak proposed that successful (analogical) problem solving involves three stages:
- Noticing analogous relationship between source problem and target problem
- Mapping correspondence between source and target problem
- Applying the mapping to produce a similar solution to the target problem
Notice analogy, Map correspondence, Apply mapping (NMA)
It’s difficult to apply analogies in the laboratory, but people routinely use analogies in everyday life. This is known as the __________ (2).
analogical paradox
observing people to determine how they solve problems in the real world would be researching: (4)
in-vivo problem solving
Advantage of in-vivo problem solving research:
High ______ (2)
high external validity
- naturalistic setting
disadvantage of in-vivo problem solving research:
time consuming, can’t control/isolate/manipulate variables (unless you wanna be an unethical creep…like you can’t be secretly fiddling with people’s lives for the sake of “research”)
ethical modern example of in-vivo problem solving research opportunities:
escape rooms! i should go I’ve never been
people who are acknowledged as being extremely knowledgeable or skilled in their fields are known as
experts
if you remove 2 of the 62 squares and each domino covers 2 squares, can you still cover the remaining squares with 31 dominos this is called the
MUTILATED-checkerboard problem
4 versions of mutilated checkerboard problem:
- Blank squares
- Coloured squares
- squares with the words black and pink on them (BLACKPINK!)
- squares with the words butter and bread on them
With its 4 different versions, and how the bread and butter condition only required an average of 1 hint to solve the problem, and the blank condition requiring an average of 3 hints to solve it, the mutilated-checkerboard problem showed that:
the way a problem is stated or presented can affect for how easily it is solved
Say aloud what one is thinking while problem solving
think-aloud protocol
type of problem solving that involves using a solution to a similar problem to guide your solution to a new problem
analogical problem solving
transfer of ideas from one problem to another
eg: Russian marriage problem helping for the Mutilated-checkerboard problem
this is called: (2)
analogical transfer
open-ended thinking that considers a wide range of possible associations, information, and/or solutions
divergent thinking
thinking outside the box or often utilizing divergent thinking probably means you are:
creative (whoop de doo)
the ability to come up with useful and effective solution to real world problems, combining originality with functionality
practical creativity
(top-down or bottom-up?) thinking can inhibit creativity because of
top-down
preconceived notions, expectations
(eg: mental sets, functional fixedness)
- in a way, too many examples can INHIBIT creativity…
three words are presented and the task is to determine which new word, when combined with each of the three presented words, would create a new word
- given three related words and you need to find a word that would connect to EACH of them
eg: pine, crab, sauce -> apple -> pineapple, crabapple, applesauce
compound remote-associate problems
(think remote -> pulling the answers out of your ass tbh)
(compound -> putting elements or WORDS together)
man, glue, star
- find one word that can attach to each of them to make a new real word
super
- compound remote-associate problems
problems used to test creativity and divergent thinking (3)
- Compound REMOTE-associate problems (remote as in COMING OUT OF NOWHERE)
- Nine-dot problem (4 lines to connect all 9 dots w/o overlapping)
- Alternate uses test
draw four straight lines that pass thought all nine dots (3 in each row to make a square of nine dots), WITHOUT lifting your pen from the paper OR retracing a line
the nine-dot problem (super creative name)
_______ principles of _______ could be making it difficult for us to perceive the nine dots as anything else than a whole square, possibly inhibiting us from thinking outside the box
gestalt
grouping
Turning off/activating a part of the brain/decreasing it’s activation/excitability through magnetic stimulation
transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)
the left anterior temporal lobe activation has been associated with grouping lower level information into meaningful patterns -> how did they use this information to research the nine dot problem?
they used Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation to turn off the activity there (in the left anterior temporal lobe) and people did better with the nine-dot problem because they weren’t constantly perceiving the dots as a grouped together to make a square
How many unusual/alternate uses can you think of for an insert object? This creativity test is called the:
alternative uses test
(damn I just did it and I guess I need to work on my creativity)
Mind wandering, which has a part to play in contributions to creative cognition, is also known as the: (3)
Default mode network
In the alternate uses test (AUT) in one experiment, people were made to do either an easy task or a difficult task before revisiting some of the previous AUT items to ask if they had a thought of any new uses since the first round. The group doing the easy task could think of more alternative uses because they were more able to be in their default mode network or do more mind wandering. This was interpreted as an effect of:
incubation
(Like when im marinating and letting the information marinate lol but it’s INCUBATING)
Taking a break from a problem helps you come up with better or more creative ideas later. This effect is known as the:
incubation effect
the incubation effect shown through the ________ (3) shows that brain breaks are good for creativity and work
alternate uses test (AUT)
Rapid realization of a solution
insight
In the EEG (electroencephalogram) experiment on people doing compound remote associate problem (connecting the three words with one word and making new three words) in which people were asked whether or not their answers came to them through rapid insight or a longer process, those who responded that it came through insight showed more activation in the _________ lobe while those who said it came through a longer non-insight process showed more activation in the _________ lobe
insight - frontal lobe
non-insight - occipital lobe
participants come up with as many alternative uses for common/familiar objects as possible (breaking out of that functional fixedness!)
Alternative use task
As practiced in another version of the alternative use task, meditation before a task puts you in the ____________ (2) OR ___________ (2) group.
focused attention
open monitoring
concentrating on a specific object or idea (to generate ideas tied to the features it has in the context of the alternate uses test); more analytical
Focused attention
keeping your mind open to all possibilities without focusing on one thing -> think freely and let unrelated ideas flow, explore the unconventional just go with it (to generate ideas in the context of the alternate uses test)
Open monitoring
In the AUT in which there was a control group, focused attention group, and open-monitoring group, (FA and OM group meditated in different ways before the task), which group had the highest number of responses and the most originality?
open-monitoring group
