Problem Solving and Creativity

Question 1

Gestalt approach to problem solving

Answer 1

Understanding problem solving means understanding how people represent a problem in their mind and how they use reorganizing or restructuring of this representation

Question 2

Restructuring

Answer 2

Process of changing a problem’s representation. Often results in insight

Question 3

According to gestalt, what is one of the major obstacles of problem solving?

Answer 3

Fixation: people’s tendency to focus on a specific characteristic of the problem that keeps them from arriving at a solution

Question 4

Two types of fixation

Answer 4

1) Functional fixedness

2) Mental set

Question 5

Information-processing approach

Answer 5

Problem solving as a search. There is a goal state and initial state, with an intermediate state in between (all together called a problem space)

Question 6

Operators

Answer 6

Actions that take the problem from one state to another. Usually governed by rules

Question 7

Means-end analysis

Answer 7

A way of solving a problem in which the goal is to reduce the space between the initial and goal state

Question 8

Subgoals

Answer 8

Small goals that help create intermediate states

Question 9

Analogies help solve problems by…

Answer 9

making connections between similar problems and applying the solution for one problem to others. AKA analogical transfer

Question 10

Define target problem and source problem in terms of analogical transfer

Answer 10

Target problem: problem trying to be solved

Source problem: another problem that shares similarities with the target problem to illustrate a way to solve the target problem

Question 11

The process of analogical problem solving involves what three steps?

Answer 11

1) Noticing
2) Mapping
3) Applying

Question 12

Analogical encoding

Answer 12

A way to help people notice similarities. Process by which two problems are compared and similarities between them are determined

Question 13

Why do experts tend to be better than non-experts at solving problems in their field?

Answer 13

They organize their knowledge differently, based on principles and they spend more time analyzing problems

Question 14

Being an expert is not always an advantage…

Answer 14

It may make them less open to new ways of looking at problems, and make it difficult when flexible thinking is required that involves rejecting old procedures.

Question 15

Creativity in problem solving focuses on…

Answer 15

divergent thinking, thinking that is open-ended and involving a large number of solutions

Question 16

The anterior temporal lobe was deactivated for the nine-dot problem causing people to…

Answer 16

interpret the problem differently and solve it. This is because the ATL is associated with grouping things into meaningful patterns and for the nine-dot problem people could only think of this and not outside of the box

Question 17

In one experiment they found EEG activity to increase in the frontal and occipital lobe before a solution. This led to the conclusion that…

Answer 17

the status of your brain before you begin a problem can influence the approach you take to solving the problem

Question 18

The alternate uses task studied creativity where a person thinks of unusual uses for an object. It concluded that…

Answer 18

higher originality was associated with higher activity in the default mode network (DMN)

Question 19

Executive control network (ECN)

Answer 19

Directs attention as a person is carrying out tasks

Question 20

Relationship between ECN and DMN

Answer 20

Both networks are strongly connected in highly creative people. The creative thoughts and ideas from the DMN are able to be carried out effectively with the ECN.

Question 21

Kaufman and Gregoire’s name for the DMN

Answer 21

Imagination Network