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| occurs when there is an obstacle between a present state and a goal and it is not immediately obvious how to get around the obstacle |
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| usually have a correct answer; certain procedures, when applied correctly, will yield a solution |
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| occur frequently in everyday life; does not necessarily have one "correct" answer, and the path to the solution is often unclear |
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| the process of changing a problem's representation. According to the Gestalt psychologists, _________ is the key mechanism of problem solving |
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| the sudden realization of a problem's solution |
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| people's tendency to focus on a specific characteristic of the problem that keeps them from arriving at a solution |
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| restricting the use of an object to its familiar functions |
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| a problem, first described by Duncker, in which a person is given a number of objects and is given the task of mounting a candle on a wall so it can burn without dripping wax on the floor. This problem was used to study functional fixedness |
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| the Ps' task was to tie together two strings that were hanging from the ceiling. This was difficult because the strings are separated, so it is impossible to reach one of them while holding the other. Other objects available for solving this problem were a chair & a pair of pliers |
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| a preconceived notion about how to approach a problem, which is determined by a person's experience or what has worked in the past |
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| a problem, first described by Luchins, that illustrates how mental set can influence the strategies that people use to solve a problem |
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| conditions at the beginning of the problem |
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| the solution of the problem |
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| 3 discs stacked on the left peg, goal state = stack discs on right peg ~~ in moving the discs, larger discs may not stack on top of smaller discs |
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| actions that take the problem from one state to another |
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| in problem solving, the various conditions that exist along the pathways between the initial and goal states |
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| the initial state, goal state, and all the possible intermediate states for a particular problem |
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| a problem solving strategy that seeks to reduce the difference between the initial and goal states. This is achieved by creating subgoals |
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| intermediate states that are closer to the goal |
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| a problem involving acrobats that is similar to the Tower of Hanoi problem. Used to illustrate how the way a problem is stated can influence its difficulty |
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| A modification of the acrobat problem that is used to show how the way a problem is stated can influence its difficulty |
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| Mutilated Checkerboard Problem |
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| a problem that has been used to study how the statement of a problem influences a person's ability to reach a solution |
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| a procedure in which Ps are asked to say out loud what they are thinking while doing a problem. This procedure is used to help determine people's thought processes as they are solving a problem |
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| making a comparison in order to show a similarity between two different things |
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| Analogical Problem Solving |
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| the use of analogies as an aid to solving problems. Typically, a solution to one problem, the source problem, is presented that is analogous to the solution to another problem, the target problem. |
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| the application of problem-solving strategies experienced in solving one problem to the solution of another, similar problem |
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| a problem to be solved. In analogical problem solving, solution of this problem can become easier when the problem-solver is exposed to an analogous source problem or story |
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| a problem or story that is analogous to the target problem and which therefore provides information that can lead to a solution to the target problem |
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| a problem posed by Duncker that involves finding a way to destroy a tumor by radiation without damaging other organs in the body. This problem has been widely used to study the role of analogy in the problem solving |
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| specific elements that make up a problem. For example, in the radiation problem, the tumor and rays are the _______________. |
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| the underlying principle that governs the solution |
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| Ps compare 2 cases that illustrate a principle |
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| Ps in psychological experiments tend to focus on surface features in analogy problems, whereas people in the real world frequently use deeper, more structural features |
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| In Vivo Problem Solving Research |
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| observing people to determine how they solve problems in real-world situations |
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| people who, by devoting a large amount of time to learning about a field and practicing and applying that learning, have become acknowledged as being extremely knowledgeable or skilled in the particular field |
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| thinking that is open-ended, involving a large number of potential "solutions' and no "correct" answer |
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| thinking that works toward finding a solution to a specific problem that usually has a correct answer |
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| presenting a sample design influences the creation of new designs |
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| a technique developed by Finke to train people to think creatively |
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