Problem Solving & Creativity

Question 1

what is a problem?

Answer 1

a problem is what happens when there is an obstacle between a present
state and a goal and it is not immediately obvious how to get around the obstacle

Question 2

this term refers to a situation in which
you need to accomplish a goal and the solution is not immediately obvious

Answer 2

problem

Question 3

what was problem solving for Gestalt psychologists?

Answer 3

1. how people represent a problem in their mind
2. how solving a problem involves a reorganization or restructuring of this representation

Question 4

this term is defined as the process of changing the problem’s representation

Answer 4

restructuring

Question 4

What experiment illustrated the sudden realization property of insight?

Answer 4

Janet Mercalfe and David Wiebe

Question 4

this term refers to roblems that are solved by a process of systematic analysis, often using techniques based on past experience.

Answer 4

analytically based problems

Question 5

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

Answer 5

fixation

Question 5

this term refers to a preconceived notion about how to approach a problem, which is determined by a person’s experience of what has worked in the past

Answer 5

mental set

Question 6

what was the two string problem about?

Answer 6

the two string problem demonstrated functional fixedness

Question 7

this term refers to a type of fixation
that can work against solving a problem, focusing on familiar functions or
uses of an object

Answer 7

functional fixedness

Question 7

what were the two problems that demonstrated functional fixedness?

Answer 7

candle problem and two string problem

Question 8

what was an example of how mental set can arise out of the situation created as a person solves a problem?

Answer 8

water jug problem

Question 8

what were the key terms of Newell and Simon’s Approach to the Tower of Hanoi problem?

Answer 8

1. initial state
2. goal state
3. operators

Question 9

this key term is in Newell and Simon’s approach and refers to the conditions at the beginning of the problem

Answer 9

initial state

Question 10

this key term is in Newell and Simon’s Approach and refers to the solution of the problem

Answer 10

goal state

Question 10

this key term is in Newell and Simon’s approach and refers to the actions that take the problem from one state to another

Answer 10

operators

Question 11

this term is in Newell and Simon’s approach and refers to the conditions after each step is made toward solving a problem

Answer 11

intermediate state

Question 12

this term is in Newell and Simon’s approach and refers to all possible states that could occur when solving a problem

Answer 12

problem space

Question 13

this term is in Newell and Simon’s approach and refers to a way of solving a problem in which the goal is to reduce the difference
between the initial and goal states

Answer 13

means-end analysis

Question 14

this term is in Newell and Simon’s Approach and refers to the small goals that help create intermediate states that are closer to
the goal

Occasionally, a subgoal may appear to increase the distance to the goal state, but in the long run can result in the shortest path to the goal

Answer 14

subgoals

Question 15

what problem should be considered when thinking about how a problem’s difficulty can be affected by how it is stated?

Answer 15

mutilated checkerboard problem

Question 16

this term refers to using the solution to a similar problem to guide solution of a new problem

Answer 16

analogy

Question 17

this term refers to the technique of using an analogy

Answer 17

analogical problem solving

Question 18

what is analogical transfer?

Answer 18

the transfer from one problem to another

Question 19

what are the key terms involved in analogical transfer?

Answer 19

1. target problem 2. source problem

Question 20

this term refers to the problem the participant is trying to solve (analogical transfer)

Answer 20

target problem

Question 21

this term refers to another problem that shares some similarities with the target problem and that illustrates a way to solve the target problem analogical problem

Answer 21

source problem

Question 22

this problem has been widely used in research on analogical problem solving

Answer 22

Karl Duncker's Radiation Problem

Question 22

this term refers to the process by which two problems are compared and similarities between them are determined

Answer 22

analogical encoding

Question 23

this term refers to a negotiating g strategy in which one person says to another, “I’ll give you A, if you’ll give me B.

Answer 23

trade-off strategy

Question 23

this term refers to a negotiating strategy in which a person gets what he or she wants if something else happens

Answer 23

contingency strategy

Question 23

this term refers to thinking that is open-ended, involving a large number of potential “solutions”

Answer 23

divergent thinking

Question 23

this term involves observing people to determine how they solve problems in real-world situations

Answer 23

in vivo problem-solving research

Question 24

this term refers to ideas that precede the creation of a finished creative product

Answer 24

preinventive forms

Question 24

this term refers to a procedure for stimulating the brain in which two electrodes are placed on a person’s head.

Answer 24

transcranial direct current stimulation

Question 25

what are the networks involved in creativity?

Answer 25

1. Default Mode Network 2. Executive Control Network

Question 26

this term refers to the phenomenon of getting ideas after taking a “time-out” from working on a problem

Answer 26

incubation

Question 27

this term refers to the task where participants had 2 minutes to think of unusual uses for common objects. For example, how many unusual uses can you think of for bricks?

Answer 27

Alternate Use Task

Question 28

what are the ten things that highly creative people do differently?

Answer 28

1. Imaginative Play 2. Passion 3. Daydreaming 4. Solitude 5. Intuition 6. Openness to Experience 7. Mindfulness 8. Sensitivity 9. Turning Adversity into Advantage 10. Thinking Differently

Question 29

this term refers to the simple process of actively noticing new things

Answer 29

mindfulness

Question 29

this term refers to the act of choosing to disengage from external tasks in order to pursue an internal stream of thought that might have positive outcomes

Answer 29

volitional daydreaming

Question 30

what is open monitoring meditation?

Answer 30

OM meditation involves simply paying attention to whatever comes into the mind, and to follow this thought until something else comes along

Question 31

what is another term for the default mode network proposed by Kaufman and George?

Answer 31

imagination network

Question 32

what is focused attention meditation?

Answer 32

FA meditation involves focusing on one thing, like the in and out of your breath, and when your mind wanders, as it inevitability will, to bring your attention back to your breath