Problem Solving- Unit 3

base rates

likelihood of something in the whole group happening

sample size effects

we trust small numbers too much

conditional probabilities

confusing A|B with B|A

dual process hypothesis

we have 2 types of critical thinking.

• type 1: fast and automatic, relies on heuristics

• type 2: slower, effortful, more likely to be correct

well defined problems

clear solution, small set of starting information, set of rules for solving, easy to study in lab

ill defined problems

goals not always clear, steps to solve not always clear

generate and test

brainstorm options and then check themm

means-end analysis

what means do I have to make my current state more like my goal state?

working backward

start at the goal and ask what must be true right before that and repeat until you are at the point you are at now

backtracking

making a provisional choice, mark the choice point, and if it dead ends, step back and revise

reasoning by analogy

map the deep structure of a known solution onto a new problem

tower of hanoi

logic puzzle where you move a stack of disks from one rod to another to test reasoning and logic

mental set

tendency to approach a problem in a particular way that worked in the past

functional fixedness

tendency to be rigid in thinking about an object’s function

incorrect representations

focusing on wrong details hinders problem solving

lack of expertise

experts see structure, novices see clutter. expertise give shortcuts for what matters and what to ignore, without it, problem solving is slower and more error prone

problem space hypothesis

every possible state of affairs within a problem corresponds to a node in a mental graph, the set of nodes occupies some mental area

solutions

found by searching the problem space, thorough search increases successd

depth first search

follow one branch as far as possible and then backtrack

breadth first

explore all options at current level before going deeper

incubation effect

unconscious processing

ordinary cognitive processes

directed remembering, noticing, contrary recognition