Chapter 9a Psych Intro (1101)

What are the five main components of creativity?

1) Expertise 2) Imaginative thinking skills 3) Venturesome Personality 4)Intrinsic motivation 5) Creative environment

Convergent Thiking

Narrowing the available problem solutions to determine the single best solution.

intrinsic motivation

a desire to perform a behavior effectively for its own sake. Issac Newton: Solving difficult scientific problems by 'thinking about them all the time'.

Insight

a sudden and often novel realization of the solution to a problem, contrasts with strategy-based (heuristics, algorithm) solutions.

mental set

a tendency to approach a problem in one particular way, often a way that has been successful in the past

Confirmation bias

a tendency to search for information that supports our preconceptions and to ignore or distort contradictory evidence

Making several minor household repairs, Alyssa uses a shoe as a hammer and a butter knife as a screwdriver. Which statement BEST characterizes Alyssa's problem solving? a. She is not taking advantage of a prototype b. She is not constrained by functional fixedness c. She is taking advantage of the availability heuristic d. She is constrained by a powerful mindset

b. She is not constrained by functional fixedness

A high school physics teacher reassures his class that no matter how confusing this week's word problems appear, they all may be solved quite handily through the use of the formula F=MA. The teacher has offered his students a(n): a. analogy b. algorithm c. heuristic d. insight

b. algorithm

According to the principle of belief perseverance, when faced with evidence supporting one's point of view on a controversial issue, one would MOST likely: a. question one's opinion b. assume it is correct c. question the source d. discount the information

b. assume it is correct

Narrowing available problem solutions to the single best solution illustrates: a. belief perseverance b. convergent thinking c. fixation d. divergent thinking

b. convergent thinking

After gathering extensive information about the colleges she was interested in attending, Krista let the information incubate outside her conscious awareness for several days. This provided time for her decision to be potentially enhanced by: a. convergent thinking b. intuition c. fixation d. insight

b. intuition Remember, the brain does lots of automatic processing! Intuition: "Our fast, automatic, unreasoned feelings and thoughts".

Mary Ellen is a registered Republican. She believes that her positions on political issues are correct because she often finds similar viewpoints expressed in conservative media. Mary Ellen is demonstrating: a. framing b. belief perseverance c. confirmation bias d. the availability heuristic

c. confirmation bias

Anika resisted changing her answer to a test question after reminding herself that "it's always best to stick with your first answer." Anika's decision best illustrates the use of a simple thinking strategy called a(n): a. fixation b. algorithm c. heuristic d. prototype

c. heuristic

David tends to study the same way for every class he takes no matter the subject. So far, he has been successful. This is an example of a(n): a. belief perseverance b. confirmation bias c. mental set d. availability heuristic

c. mental set

"You always clam up when I ask you what's wrong," Iris tells her boyfriend. Iris is probably making this frequency judgment because she can remember a few times that her boyfriend wouldn't tell her what was bothering him. Iris is demonstrating: a. framing b. belief perseverance c. the availability heuristic d. the confirmation bias

c. the availability heuristic

Belief Perseverance

clinging to one's initial conceptions after the basis on which they were formed has been discredited

Psychologists refer to the mental activities associated with thinking, knowing, remembering, and communicating as_________.

cognition

Raul is very skilled at taking aptitude tests and finding solutions to math and science problems. Raul's skills illustrate: a. divergent thinking b. fixation c. belief perseverance d. convergent thinking

d. convergent thinking

One major impediment to problem solving is ______, which is the inability to see a problem from a fresh perspective. a. insight b. overconfidence c. a heuristic d. fixation

d. fixation

availability heuristic

estimating the likelihood of events based on their availability in memory; if instances come readily to mind (perhaps because of their vividness), we presume such events are common

divergent thinking

expands the number of possible problem solutions (creative thinking that diverges in different directions)

Imaginative thinking skills

provide the ability to see things in novel ways, to recognize patterns, and to make connections

venturesome personality

seeks new experiences, tolerates ambiguity and risk, and perseveres in overcoming obstacles

framing

the way an issue is posed; how an issue is framed can significantly affect decisions and judgments.

Concept

A mental grouping of similar objects, events, ideas, or people.

Prototype (short)

A mental image or best example of a category.

Prototype (long)

A mental image or best example of a category. Matching new items to a prototype provides a quick and easy method for sorting items into categories (as when comparing feather creatures to a prototypical bird, such as a robin).

Algorithm

A methodical, logical rule or procedure that guarantees solving a particular problem. Contrasts with the usually speedier (but more error prone) use of heuristics.

Heuristic

A simple thinking strategy that often allows us to make judgments and solve problems efficiently; usually speedier but also more error prone than using an algorithm. Faster than algorithm, more error prone.

Cognition

All the mental activities associated with thinking, knowing, remembering, and communicating.

_____ thinking involves narrowing available problem solutions to the single best solution.

Convergent (many -> one)

Expertise (component of creativity)

a well developed base of knowledge, furnishes the ideas, images, and phrases we use as mental building blocks

Students will tend to study the same way for every class they are taking, especially when they have been successful. This is an example of a: a. mental set b. fixation c. confirmation bias d. belief perserverance

a. mental set

At the beginning of a race, someone asks a group of runners if they think they will come in first, they all say yes. This BEST illustrates: a. overconfidence b. intuition c. an algorithm d. framing

a. overconfidence

People who make outstanding creative contributions to the arts or sciences are MOST likely to: a. receive above-average scores on tests of divergent thinking b. be unusually sensitive to criticism of their ideas. c. receive above-average scores on tests of convergent thinking d. be strongly motivated to attain fame and fortune

a. receive above-average scores on tests of divergent thinking

In research studies in which subjects were asked to make a choice regarding a complex problem, they made the best decision when they: a. were slightly distracted b. went with their gut instinct c. made an immediate decision d. thought about it for a few minutes.

a. were slightly distracted

intuition

an effortless, immediate, automatic feeling or thought, as contrasted with explicit, conscious reasoning

Presenting an issue in a specific way that affects judgment and decision making is known as:

framing

The way an issue is posed or how an issue is presented can significantly affect decisions and judgments; this is known as _____

framing

Fixation

in thinking, the inability to see a problem from a new perspective; an obstacle to problem solving.

representativeness heuristic

judging the likelihood of things in terms of how well they seem to represent, or match, particular prototypes; may lead us to ignore other relevant information. May lead us to ignore other relevant info.

creative environment

sparks, supports, and refines creative ideas

Creativity

the ability to produce novel and valuable ideas