Ch. 12 Quiz

What is the basic principle behind the Gestalt approach to problem solving?

how a problem is represented influences success of prob. solving (solve by restructuring)

What are the three steps in the process of analogical problem solving? Which of the steps appears to be the most difficult to achieve?

1. notice analogous relationship (hardest!) 2. map correspondence b/w source and target 3. apply mapping to generalize to a parallel sol'n

The ability to shift experience from one problem solving situation to a similar problem is known as A. analogical encoding B. analogical transfer C. insight D. in vivo problem solving

B. analogical transfer

Gick and Holyoak proposed that analogical problem solving involves the following three steps: A. restructuring, searching, and simulating. B. noticing, mapping, and applying. C. surfacing, structuring, and generalizing. D. well-defining, insighting, and means-end analysis.

B. noticing, mapping, and applying

The information processing approach describes problem solving as a process involving A. design fixation B. search C. insight D. creative cognition

B. search

Which problem provides an example of how functional fixedness can hinder solution of a problem? A. Tower of Hanoi problem B. Two-string problem C. Mutilated checkerboard problem D. The radiation problem

B. two string problem

Gestalt psychologists consider problem solving as a process involving A. multiple goal states. B. continuity and form. C. reorganization or restructuring. D. sensory operators.

C. reorganization and restructuring

Which of the following statements does NOT apply to the results of research on differences between how experts and novices solve problems? A. Experts possess more knowledge about their fields than novices. B. Experts often organize problems differently than novices, based on principles. C. Experts often spend more time analyzing problems than novices. D. Being an expert in one field can transfer to better problem solving in another field.

D.

How does the mutilated checkerboard experiment illustrate that the way a problem is stated can affect a person's ability to solve the problem? What are the implications of this research for the "problem space" approach?

ability to solve depended on how board was set up (w/ colors, words, or nothing) w/ a blank board, it was harder to solve, but with words "bread" and "butter," it was easier bc info that was provided pointed to correct sol'n this is more similar to Gestalt idea of restructuring, but prob space could be used too (realize you can't follow intermediate steps governed by operator rules to reach sol'n so the answer to the prob is no)

What is analogical encoding? The analogical paradox? How has analogical problem solving been studied in the real world?

encoding: comparing 2 problems and determining the similarities and differences paradox: difficulty of applying analogies in lab, but easier in real world in vivo research: observing ppl as they solve real world probs

What fixation? functional fixedness? What experiments demonstrate this?

fixation is focusing on a certain aspect of the problem that prevents it from being solved functional fixedness is a type of fixation in which you focus on a particular (familiar) use of an object candle and two string problem

Describe Duncker's radiation problem. What is the solution, and how have researchers used this problem to illustrate analogical problem solving?

how do you destroy a tumor using a ray if having high intensity damages healthy tissue but low intensity doesn't kill tumor? use many low intensity rays from diff angles fortress story: similar idea, makes it easier to solve but only when told it is related lightbulb prob: similar surface features makes it easier to solve lightbulb prob w/ diff. structural features makes it harder to solve radiation prob

Describe attempts to define creativity.

innovative thinking, novel ideas, new connections b/w existing ideas, divergent thinking (open-ended, involves many potential sol'n) may require functionality (i.e. creative idea must also be useful)

Describe how the two string problem illustrates the Gestalt principle of problem solving, and also what else this problem demonstrates about problem solving

part. couldn't solve until they saw experimenter brush by the string making it move (restructuring!), then realized they could tie pliers to string to swing it to the other string functional fixedness: didn't see pliers as a weight to make string swing like a pendulum

What is an expert? What are some differences between the way experts and nonexperts go about solving problems? How good are experts at solving problems outside of their field?

someone with great k of certain topic diff: experts organize info differently by chunking in efficient way (chess masters better at remembering board when it matched real game) experts look at structural features, novices look at surface features (prof vs. students looking at physics probs) no advantage outside expert's field

What is creative cognition?

technique to train people to think creatively involving preinventive forms (ideas before finished product)

Describe Newell and Simon's approach to problem solving, in which "search" plays a central role. How does means-end analysis as applied to the Tower of Hanoi problem illustrate this approach? What is the think-aloud protocol?

they use the information processing approach and see prob as a prob space (all possible versions of the initial state, operators, intermediate states, and goal state). it involves a search of how to reach goal. the tower prob has initial state and goal state, and by means-end analysis you try to decrease the diff. b/w these 2 states by moving the discs in most efficient way (create subgoals and follow operator rules) think aloud protocol is when you verbalize your thoughts as you problem solve

What do creative people and people with mental illnesses have in common?

weaker latent inhibition (ability to screen out irrelevant stim)

What is the psychological definition of a problem?

when there is an obstacle b/w the present and goal states and no obvious way to get around it

Describe how the circle (radius) problem illustrates the Gestalt principle of problem solving, and also what else this problem demonstrates about problem solving

if you restructure the prob to rep. x as the diagonal of the rectangle, it is clear that x is the same as the radius which solves the problem

Kaplan and Simon's experiment presented different versions of the mutilated checkerboard problem. The main purpose of their experiment was to demonstrate that A. the way the problem is represented can influence the ease of problem solving. B. people arrive at the solution to an insight problem suddenly, but proceed more methodically towards the solution of a non-insight problem. C. people often have to backtrack within the problem space to arrive at an answer to a problem. D. a person's mental set can hinder finding a solution to a problem.

A.

The fortress problem involves a fortress and marching soldiers, while the radiation problem involves a tumor and rays. Therefore, the two problems have very different A. surface features B. operators C. structural features D. mental sets

A. surface features

Describe how the water jug problem illustrates the Gestalt principle of problem solving, and also what else this problem demonstrates about problem solving

part. who saw an example of the prob being solved w/ a formula then repped all probs w/ same formula, even if there was a simpler way to solve the last 2 probs. part. who only got the last 2 solved using easier method. 1st grp had mental set: a preconceived notion of how the prob should be solved based on success in previous similar probs so they didn't restructure the last probs

Describe how the candle problem illustrates the Gestalt principle of problem solving, and also what else this problem demonstrates about problem solving

participants had more trouble solving this problem if the matches were presented inside the matchbox, bc they saw it as a container. if matches separate from box, they saw box could be used as a stand to hold candle/catch wax functional fixedness: the 1st grp was fixated on function of a box as a container

How do the surface features and structural features of problems influence a person's ability to make effective use of analogies in problem solving? Describe the lightbulb experiments and what they demonstrated.

surface: ppl focus on these and it makes noticing analogous rel. harder (i.e fortress and tumor v. different). when similar, it's easier to solve (lightbulb and radiation) structural: underlying principles that govern sol'n. when similar, it's easier to solve. (lightbulb prob version that is similar makes solving radiation prob easier, but when diff, its harder to solve radiation prob even tho surface feat. are same)

What is the basic idea behind analogical problem solving? What is the source problem? The target problem? How effective is it to present a source problem and then the target problem, without indicating that the two are related?

you use sol'n of one prob as a guide to solve a similar prob source = prob you have solved (i.e Russian marriage) targe = prob you are trying to solve using source (i.e. mutilated checkerboard) not very helpful to present source to help someone solve target prob if they don't know they're related (reading fortress story and trying to solve radiation prob-70% still couldn't solve, but when told they were related, 75% solved)