Problem Solving And Intelligence Flashcards
What does it mean to say that a problem solving heuristic allows you to trim the size of the problem space?
A problem solving heuristic is a strategy that narrows your search through the problem space. If we analysed every single possible way to navigate the problem space, we would get to the right answer, but it also would be near impossible. The problem solving strategy works that at each point, you choose the option that gets you closer to your goal. If the hill climbing strategy is too much relied upon, however, people fail to realise that sometimes you need to go backwards to go forward.
What is means-end analysis?
A means end analysis is when you compare your current state to your goal state and ask “what means do I have to make these more alike?”
Why do people seem to under-use analogies in solving problems?
In the tumour problem using the fortress analogy, participants used the analogy to solve the problem, but only if they were told that it was an analogy. Less for people who weren’t told it was an analogy. Uninstructed use of analogies is rare. To locate helpful analogies in memory, you generally need to look beyond the superficial features of the problem. We can improve problem solving by encouraging people to pay attention to the problems underlying dynamic.
What are some of the advantages that expert problem solvers have, compared to those who are not experts?
Experts are more likely to think about the problems deep structure, which promotes analogy use. It’s also helpful to set subgoals - which experts often do. By solving each part it helps move towards an end goal. Experts organise their knowledge more effectively than novices and thus overall better access to what they know.
Why are problem-solving sets often a problem? But why are problem-solving sets also useful?
A problem solving set is the collection of beliefs and assumptions a person makes about a problem. In the 9 dot problem, participants fail to solve it because they assume that the lines need to stay inside the square. However when participants were told that the answer requires them to go outside the cube of dots they still couldn’t solve it. To solve he problem. They need to change their set. The benefits of a problem solving set is that it helps narrow down your options, which in some case there may be thousands, enables us to focus. “Thinking outside the box”
What is functional fixedness?
A certain configuration underscored a boxes convention use (tack in the wall and candle on top of it) which was needed to be used to solve a problem. The configuration increased functional fixedness - the tendency to be rigid in how one thinks about an objects function. When the box wasn’t filled with tacks they were more likely to solve the problem.
Define each of the stages proposed by Wallas - preparation, incubation, illumination, and verification.
Preparation: the problem solver gathers information and does some work on the problem, but with little progress.
In the second stage - incubation, the problem solver sets the problem aside and seems not to be working on it. During this stage Wallas proposes that the problem solver is working on it subconsciously.
Next is illumination: In which a key insight or new idea emerges, paving the way for the fourth stage -
Verification: in which the person confirms that the new idea leads to a solution and works out the details.
What does research tell us about whether incubation truly helps problem solving?
Sometimes if you go away from a problem the solution pops into your head. According to Wallas this is because your unconscious brain is thinking about it. Systematic studies tell us that this isn’t necessarily true, and no benefit was seen from incubation necessarily. When you allow your thoughts to wander, the activation can flow wherever the memory connections take it.
What does research tell us is really going on in the “aha!” Moment of illumination?
Participants were given an insight problem, and were rating as they thought they were getting closer (I’m getting warmer), and at the moment of insight, the aha moment, the warmth ratings show up the scale whether the answer was correct or not. This means that an “aha” moment only means you’ve discovered a new approach, one that you’ve not yet considered. This undermines the moment of illumination.
What does it mean to assess a measurements reliability and it’s validity?
Reliability refers to how consistent a measure is, and one aspect of reliability is consistency from one occasion to another. There’s a high correlation between ones earlier IQ level and predictability with future IQ levels. This can change if owns environment isn’t very stable, otherwise it’s pretty reliable.
The validity refers to whether a test actually measures what it is intended to measure.
What evidence tells us that IQ tests do have predictive validity?
if the intelligence test works, then someone’s score should enable us to predict how well they person will do in settings that require intelligence. IQ scores are correlated with academic performance, how well one will perform in a job, careers and even live longer, less likely to die in automobile accidents and less likely to have difficulty following doctors instructions. This confirms the tests predictive validity.
What’s the evidence that something like g - or intelligence-in-General- exists?
Some people claim that an IQ test undermines people’s abilities in certain other tasks. If someone does a subtest and performs poorly, will he also do poorly on other sub tests? If we notice this latter then it may indicate an “intelligence in general”. Factor analysis is the procedure that looks for common factors that contribute to multiple sub tests and therefore link those sub tests. This confirms that there’s a common element shared by all components of the IQ test. Spearman names this common element general intelligence. The data confirms that tests both draw on g, and also the more specialised capacity needed for just that category.
What’s the difference between fluid intelligence and crystallised intelligence?
Fluid intelligence is the ability to deal with novel problems that you have no well practised routines for. Crystallised intelligence in contrast involves your acquired knowledge and skills. Crystallised intelligence usually increases with age, but fluid reached its peak in early adulthood and then declines across your lifespan.
What hypotheses have been proposed for the processes or characteristics that give someone a lot of g?
Perhaps it’s someone who performs especially fast on mental processed. Some argue that intelligence is created by faster processing, not throughout the brain, but in particular neural pathways, for example the pathways linking temporal and parietal areas. Support for these ideas come from measures of inspection time.
A different proposal centres on the notion that g centres on working memory capacity, which is a measure of executive control.
What types of intelligence have been proposed that are separate from the capacities measured by the IQ tests?
Practical intelligence “street smart”
Measures of rationality - people who ignore facts, are overconfident in their judgement and are insensitive to inconsistencies in their views. Stanovich argues that we need separate measures of intelligence and rationality
Emotional intelligence - the ability to understand one’s and others emotions and also to control one’s emotions when appropriate.
Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences, argues there’s 8 types of intelligence. Argues we should acknowledge musical intelligence, movement skills etc. his evidence comes from people with savant syndrome - individuals who are profoundly disabled but with incredibly specialised talents (eg drawings)
