Week 9 Decision Making and Creativity

Question 1

how do psychologists define a problem

Answer 1

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

you are in one state and need to work to get into the next

Question 2

Gestalt approach to problem solving involves what two idea?

Answer 2

1. how people represent a problem in their mind

2.
how solving a problem involves a reorganization or restructuring of this representation.

Question 3

____ is a powerful method in problem solving—changing how you frame or perceive the problem can reveal solutions.

Answer 3

Restructuring

Question 4

What Is Insight?

Answer 4

Insight: A sudden realization or understanding that leads to a solution.

Involves reorganizing mental representations of a problem.

Often described as an “Aha!” moment.

Question 5

what are the two types of problems we tend to be faced with?

Answer 5

well-defined problems: has clear goals, starting points and rules (ex. math)

ill-defined problems: no clear goals, starting point or rules (ex. choosing a career)

Question 6

what is an incremental problem? what gets you closer to the goal state with them?

Answer 6

they are problems that can be solved by following certain rules/guidelines that lead to the answer

AKA analytical problems

each step brings you closer to the goal state

Question 7

how do incremental and insight problems differ?

Answer 7

incremental makes progress with each step

insight you may be stuck for a while, but once you have the ah ha you quickly get to the solution

Question 8

when we say that insight problems benefit from gestalt processing, this is because

Answer 8

re-organizing/re-representing the problem can help get the jump on the solution, as they are not gradual processes

Question 9

why does gestalt suggest holistic thinking

Answer 9

Gestalt psychology focuses on the whole rather than individual parts.

Insight comes when the brain suddenly connects the parts into a meaningful whole.

Question 10

what is the big obstacle to Gestalt Problem Solving

Answer 10

fixation: where we focus on just one characteristic of a problem which prevents them from seeing a solution (unable to shift perspective - blocks insight)

Question 11

A preconceived notion about how to approach a problem based on a person’s experience or what has worked in the past is known as a___

Answer 11

mental set

Question 12

functional fixedness

Answer 12

Tendency to see objects only in terms of their usual functions.

Makes it hard to think of new uses for familiar objects.

stems from familiarity

Question 13

mental sets can inhibit ___

Answer 13

reconstruction

Question 14

tower of Hanoi problem demonstrates ___, how?

Answer 14

means-end-analysis

sometimes taking a step back helps reach the goal more efficiently.

Question 15

what is the basis of the information processing approach

Answer 15

problem solving is more flexible and is a search between posing a problem and finding its solution (the problem space)

like a maze, start somewhere and transform to somewhere new, sometimes you need to back track

Question 16

initial state, goal state, and operators

Answer 16

Initial State Starting condition

Goal State Desired outcome

Operators Legal actions to move from one state to another

Question 16

each action in information-processing of a problem moves you into an ___

Answer 16

intermediate state

Question 17

what is the problem space

Answer 17

All possible states (initial, goal and intermediate)

Question 18

what is means-end analysis

Answer 18

A problem-solving strategy that seeks to reduce the difference between the initial and goal states. This is achieved by creating subgoals, intermediate states that are closer to the goal.

to search the problem space

Sometimes requires short-term backtracking for long-term gain

Question 19

why can subgoals sometimes be hard for people to accept and act on?

Answer 19

it may seem that they move them farther from their goal, when really they are necessary to achieve it

Question 20

Newell and Simon approach is what? incremental or insight?

Answer 20

incremental

they solve the problem in a stepwise manner

Question 21

how does the way a problem is stated affect the solving of it?

Answer 21

it affects its difficulty

if a problem is stated with information that helps people represent the problem, it is easier

Question 22

analogy technique

Answer 22

using the solution from a similar problem to guide you to a solution of a new problem

effectiveness determined by if we have mental sets blocking it

this process is called analogical problem solving

Question 22

think-aloud protocol

Answer 22

Participants verbalize thoughts while solving a problem.

Used to reveal mental shifts and how people attend to problem elements.

Shows when people restructure their understanding (like in Gestalt theory).

Question 23

analogical transfer

Answer 23

applying a solution from one domain to another structurally similar one. involves a target problem (one you want to solve) and a source problem (another problem with similarities to the target)

Question 24

key steps to analogical problem solving

Answer 24

Noticing a similarity between problems Mapping elements from the source to the target Applying the solution from one to the other (noticing and mapping are the most difficult)

Question 25

why analogies matter

Answer 25

Helps us restructure how we see the problem (like the Gestalt idea of insight) Shows that deep structural features matter more than surface details Analogies are especially helpful when solving problems that are hard to crack on their own

Question 26

analogical encoding

Answer 26

the process of comparing two problems to identify shared underlying principles or structural similarities. It helps people focus on deep features instead of surface details. we compare, we find similarities (such as with negotiating strategies)

Question 27

the two negotiating strategies

Answer 27

trade-off: i give you A if you give me B contingency: You can have what you want if a certain condition is met

Question 28

analogical paradox

Answer 28

People find it difficult to apply analogies in laboratory settings, but routinely use them in real-world settings.

Question 29

In Vivo Problem-Solving Research advantages and disadvantages

Answer 29

✅ Advantages: Captures natural thinking and real-time reasoning. ❌ Disadvantages: Time-consuming Hard to control variables or isolate specific factors

Question 30

what are the reasons experts solve problems in their field faster/more successfully than novices? Why are these the reasons?

Answer 30

1. Experts have more content knowledge in their domain. Why: see meaningful patterns (chunks), novices see individual pieces → can’t chunk effectively. 2. Experts Organize Knowledge Differently Experts use deep principles/underlying structures to structure problems. 3. Experts Spend More Time Analyzing Problems Spend more time at the beginning analyzing and understanding the problem -> leads to better plans/solutions

Question 31

describe creativity in terms of divergent thinking

Answer 31

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

Question 32

disadvantage to being an expert

Answer 32

knowing about the established facts and theories in a field may make experts less open to new ways of looking at problems

Question 33

key factors of creativity

Answer 33

originality usefulness (especially true for problem solving, not as applicable for the arts)

Question 34

practical creativity

Answer 34

observing a phenomenon has led to a new, novel, and useful solution to a practical problem burrs in dog hair -> velcro

Question 35

the 4 stages of creative problem solving

Answer 35

Problem Generation (problem+fact finding Problem Formulation (Define the problem + Generate ideas) Problem Solving (evaluate and plan) Solution Implementation

Question 36

the generation of ideas, especially from experts may be limited by:

Answer 36

Ideas come from knowledge, but too much can cause mental rigidity. Experts may struggle with flexible thinking (functional fixedness). - these preconceptions can hinder creativity

Question 37

pros and cons to group brainstorming for generating ideas

Answer 37

Pros: encourages non-judgmental sharing of ideas. Intended to enhance creativity by "thinking outside the box." Cons: fewer ideas more effective if done individually than in a group (avoid dominating speakers/focus on others)

Question 38

creative cognition

Answer 38

a method of individual idea generation to train people to think creatively uses preinventive forms (objects that precede the creation of a finished creative project, and then later the person assigns it a use -> Now it is an invention

Question 39

why is the 9 dot connecting problem hard

Answer 39

The brain naturally groups elements (Gestalt Principles). We perceive the dots as a square, which creates mental constraints - we then dont think outside the box (literally)

Question 40

Left Anterior Temporal Lobe (ATL) does what

Answer 40

helps group elements into patterns (e.g., stars → constellations).

Question 41

Hypothesis and outcome: Turning off the left ATL might

Answer 41

reduce pattern bias and help with creativity. 40% of participants solved the nine-dot problem (a big increase from normal).

Question 42

EEG reveals activation in the ____ prior to insightful solutions, and activation in the ____ prior to analytical solutions

Answer 42

frontal lobe occipital lobe

Question 43

EG differences occurred ____, meaning _____

Answer 43

before the problem was even presented! The state of your brain before encountering a problem can influence the way you solve it

Question 44

Brain Networks Associated with Creativity

Answer 44

Default Mode Network (DMN) – linked to mind wandering and idea generation Executive Control Network (ECN) – linked to focused attention and idea evaluation -generating followed by evaluating both crucial for creativity

Question 45

Mind Wandering and Creativity

Answer 45

Often seen as a distraction in tasks like reading or math But may actually help with future planning and creative insight

Question 46

the phenomenon of getting ideas after taking a “time-out” from working on a problem is called

Answer 46

incubation improved by mind wandering

Question 47

Normally, ECN and DMN have ____

Answer 47

opposing roles (one is "on" while the other is "off") they are very coordinated, especially in creative people

Question 48

People who scored high on creativity tests showed

Answer 48

Stronger functional connectivity between DMN and ECN

Question 49

Volitional Daydreaming

Answer 49

Choosing to intentionally disengage from external tasks to let your mind wander Helps tap into spontaneous idea generation

Question 50

why are showers associated with creative thinking

Answer 50

Associated with relaxation + mind wandering

Question 51

why does solitude help with creative thinking

Answer 51

Removes distractions, allowing the brain to: Reflect deeply Make connections Find meaning