exam 4 Flashcards
(101 cards)
problem solving
the process necessary to reach a goal, typically in situations where the solution tends to occur when you are missing important information and or it is not clear how to reach the goal
every problem has three components
- initial state - situation at the beginning of the problem
- goal state - when you solve the problem
- obstacles - describe restrictions that make it difficult to proceed from the initial state to the goal state
*people do not passively absorb information instead we plan our approach to problems and we choose strategies that are likely to provide useful solutions
in problem solving understanding means-
that you have constructed a well-organized mental representation of the problem
problem representation
refers to the way you translate the elements of the problem into a different format
ways to represent a problem
- symbols
- matrix
- hierarchical tree diagram
- make a graph
situation cognition approach
- we often use helpful information in our immediate environment to create spatial representations
- our knowledge depends on the context around us
embodied cognition concept
we often use our own body and our own motor actions in order to express our abstract thoughts and knowledge
ecological validity
if conditions in which the research is conducted are similar to the natural setting in which the results will be applied it has ecological validity
algorithm
a method that will always produce a solution to the problem although the process can be inefficient
heuristic
general rule that is usually correct
analogy approach
in problem-solving you employ a solution to a similar earlier problem to help you solve a new problem
*people often fail to see the analogy between a problem they have solved and a new problem isomorph that has similar structural features (people see the problems as completely different because the surface structure is different)
example of an algorithm - exhaustive search
process in which you try out all possible answers using a specified system
surface features
superficial context of the problem
structural features
the underlying core of the problem that you must understand in order to solve the problem correctly
problem isomorph
to refer to a set of problems that have the same underlying structures and solutions
means-ends heuristic
- divide the problem into a number of subproblems
- try to reduce the difference between the initial state and goal state of each of the subproblems
*requires you to identify the “ends” or final result that you want to figure out then the “means” to do it
hill climber heuristic
you consistently choose the alternative that seems to lead you most directly to your goal
*can be useful when you do not have enough information about your alternatives because you can only see the immediate next steps
experts and memory
expert knowledge is often very specific, can retrieve information from long term memory faster
can more easily and frequently use parallel processing
parallel processing
handles two or more items at the same time
serial processing
handles only one item at a time
mental set
keep trying to use the same solution you used in previous problems even though you could solve the problem by using a different, easier method
*close your mind prematurely
functional fixedness
we tend to assign stable or fixed functions to an object, as a result, we fail to think about the features of the object that might be useful in helping us solve a problem, and impacts how you orient to a problem (2 string problem)
stereotype threat
if you belong to a group that is hampered by a negative stereotype and you think about your membership to that group- your performance may suffer
Thorndike’s position on problem solving
imagined problem solving as learning trial and error