cognitive ch 12

alternate uses task (AUT)

task used to assess creativity where a person has to think about unusual uses for an object, aka unusual uses task

analogical encoding

compare 2 problems that illustrate a principle, used to help ppl discover similar structural features of cases or problems

analogical paradox

ppl find it hard to apply analogies in lab settings but find it easy in the real world

analogical problem solving

use analogies to solve problems. solution to the source problem is used to solve the target problem

analogical transfer

transfer the experience of solving one problem to the solution of another similar problem

analogy

comparison to show similarities btwn 2 different things

analytically based problem

problem solved by systematic analysis, often using techniques based on experience

candle problem

person given several objects and told to mount a candle on a wall to burn w/o dripping wax on the floor. used to study functional fixedness

compound remote-association problem

problem where 3 words are presented and u have to determine one word that when combined w/each of these words forms a new word or a phrase

contingency strategy

negotiating strategy where u get what u want if something else happens

creative cognition

finke, train ppl to think creatively

daydreaming

mind wandering, unintentional thoughts

default mode network (DMN)

network that is active when u rn’t doing any tasks, associated w/being at rest or mind wandering

divergent thinking

open-ended thought involving a large # of potential solutions

electroencephalogram (EEG)

electrical response recorded from the scalp using disc electrodes

executive control network (ECN)

network that directs attention as a person carrying out tasks

expert

highly skilled and devoting a sig amt of time to learn smt

fixation

focus on a specific characteristic that inhibits them from arriving at a solution

focused attention (FA) meditation

basic procedure is to focus on one thing when mind wanders to bring attn back to ur breath

functional fixedness

idea about an object’s function inhibit the person’s ability to use the object for a different function

goal state

condition occurs when a problem has been solved

group brainstorming

problem solving group, express ideas w/o censorship

heuristics

rules/shortcuts that typically provide a solution

ill-defined problem

initial state, goal state, and/or methods for a problem are poorly understood

imagination network

Kaufman and Gregoire’s name for DMN

in vivo problem solving research

observing ppl to determine how to solve problems in real-world situations, used to study the use of analogy in different settings

incubation

getting ideas after taking a time-out from working on a problem

initial state

conditions at the beginning of the problem

insight

sudden realization of a problem’s solution

intermediate states

various conditions that exist along the pathways between initial and goal states

means-end analysis

reduce the difference btwn initial and goal states, achieved by creating subgoals and intermediate states closer to the goal

meditation

many different practices for controlling the mind

mental set

preconceived notion about approaching a problem based on a person’s experience or what has worked

mindfulness

paying attn to purpose in the present moment, non-judgmentally, and the unfolding of experience from moment to moment

mutilated checkerboard problem

study how the statement of a problem influences the ability to reach a solution

nine-dot problem

9 dots arranged in square pattern, task is to draw 4 straight lines that pass thru all nine dots w/o lifting the pen from the paper or retracing a line

open monitoring meditation

paying attn to what comes to mind and following this thought until something else comes along

operators

permissible moves that can be made toward a problem’s solution

preinventive forms

objects created in Finke’s creative cognition experiment that precedes the creation of a finished creative product

problem space

initial, goal, and all the possible intermediate states for a particular problem

problem

obstacle exists btwn a present state and a goal state, and the solution is not obvious

procedural fixedness

trying to solve a problem in the same manner as before even if the procedures are no longer appropriate

radiation problem

finding a way to destroy a tumor by radiation w/o damaging organs, widely used to study the role of analogy in problem solving, Duncker

restructuring

changing a problem’s representation, this is key to problem solving

source problem

problem/story analogous to the target problem and which therefore provides info that can lead to a solution to the target problem

structural features

underlying principle that governs the solution to a problem

subgoals

states that move the solution process closer to the goal in the means-end analysis approach to problem solving

surface features

specific elements of a problem, this can be different btwn source and target problem

target problem

problem to the solved, makes it more manageable in analogical problem solving when the problem-solver is exposed to an analogous source problem

think-aloud protocol

say out loud what u r thinking when doing a problem, used to help determine ppl’s thought processes as they are solving a problem

tower of hanoi problem

involves moving discs from one set of pegs to another, used to illustrate the process involved in means-end analysis

trade-off strategy

negotiating strat where one person says ill do A if you do B

transcranial direct current stimulation

stimulating the brain when 2 electrodes are connected to a battery-powered device that delivers direct current are placed on the hand

two-string problem

person is assigned to attach 2 string too far apart to reach, illustrate the operation of functional fixedness

volitional daydreaming

consciously choosing to day dream, may have positive outcomes

water jug problem

illustrates how mental sets can influence ppl’s problem solving strategies

well-defined problem

initial state, goal state, and/or methods for a problem are well-understood

problems w/gestalt view

doesn’t account for non-insight problems, doesn’t explain how we get the change in representation

problem solving is all

about choosing operators

3 cases to consider when choosing operators

very familiar problem, very little/no knowledge, some relevant knowledge

algorithms are stored in memory which

saves you the trouble of having to think

little knowledge

fall back on operators that are very general purpose and will be more or less applicable to any situation

algorithms are usually only

applicable to well-defined problems

surface features and analogies

get in the way

structural features and analogies

must be used

steps to using analogy

noticing the connection btwn target and source, mapping the source to the target, applying

noticing the connection between target and source

ideally have structural similarity

mapping the source to the target

use structural similarity to map surface

means-end analysis 5 steps

compare current state to the goal state, figure out what the difference is, select an operator that can solve the difference, apply it, repeat

means-ends analysis allows

the setting of subgoals

the tower of hanoi problem is

another example of means-ends analysis

expert knowledge

recognize patterns and chunks based on past experience

experts have also

automatized many of the rules

you can fixate on the function of an object but also

on the procedures use to solve the problem

being an expert actually

decreases flexibility

gestalt approach to fixedness

overcoming fixedness can feel like an aha insight moment

the problem in being an expert arises when

it looks like knowledge you have will be applicable but it actually leads you down the wrong solution path

aspects of creativity

innovative thinking, novel ideas/originality, new connections btwn existing ideas, divergent thinking, useful

most creative problem solving involves a

lengthy trial and error process of generation and evaluation

expertise and prior knowledge may in fact

limit creativity in some ways but note that some prior knowledge is usually necessary to understand the problem

group brainstorming can actually

lead to fewer ideas

insight has been demonstrated experimentally by

tracking how close ppl feel they are to solving insight and non-insight problems

creative problem-solving has been described as a

process that begins w/generation of the problem and ends w/the implementation of the solution, w/ideas happening in btwn

deactivating the left ATL

can increase creativity

DMN and executive control networks

work together during creative thinking