Problem Solving

problem solving

college education improves peoples problem solving/reasoning abilities

ability to reason is developed through learning about rules of reasoning in natural and social sciences can generalize to other domains

college educations have been found to handle stress better than those who have not gone to college

every problem contains

a initial state, goal state, and obstacles

problem solving approaches

anagrams

algorithim: a methodical, logical rule or procedure that guarantees a solution to a particular problem; ex: exhaustive search

heuristic: a rule-of-thumb strategy that allows one to reduce the number of operations that are tried in solving a problem; ex: looking only for pronouncable letter combos

Means-end heuristic:

divide problem into sub-problems and try to reduce difference between initial state and goal state for each of sub-problems

Analogy approach:

problem solving is often a matter of finding a useful analogy between the present problem or situation and some other problem or situation with which you are more familiar

common obstacles to problem solving

confirmation bias: tendency to search for information that confirm’s one’s preconceptions

mental set: tendency to approach a problem in a particular way, especially a way that has been successful in the past but may not be helpful in solving a new problem

functional fixedness: tendency to think of things only in terms of their usual functions

insight problems vs. non-insight problems

a sudden and often novel realization of the solution to a problem

• Contrasts with strategy-based solutions

• Insight problems are solved when answer appears suddenly

• Non-insight problems are solved gradually (e.g., using

  means-end heuristics)

neural basis of insight

Some critical components of insight are preferentially associated with the right cerebral hemisphere

At the moment when people solve problems by insight, relative to solving identical problems by analytic processing:

EEG shows a burst of high- frequency gamma-band EEG activity over the right anterior temporal lobe

Direct stimulation of right frontal-temporal cortex coupled with inhibition of left frontal-temporal cortex enhances solving of insight problems

Performance is enhanced or unaffected if you

verbalize strategies while solving non-insight problem

Performance is disrupted if you verbalize strategies while solving insight problem

insightful individuals

Show more externally oriented attention (reduced occipital alpha- band EEG activity) than do analytical individuals during the resting state

Show greater internal focus of attention during the preparation phase prior to the presentation of the insight problem indicated by:

Activation of anterior cingulate (detection of weak activation of nondominant solution possibilities)

Increase in alpha-band activity over right occipital cortex

wide angle vision

Positive mood facilitates insight, probably by increasing attentional scope to include weakly activated solution possibilities

creativity

finding a solution that is novel and useful

To foster creativity and insight, promote conditions that allow thought and perceptual processes to run more freely

Intrinsic motivation (measured by concentration on task, exploration, and enjoyment of task) promotes high levels of creativity

Extrinsic motivation (being offered a reward for being creative)

can reduce creativity

Conditions that increase anxiety (knowing that your work will be

evaluated, having someone watch while you work, being offered a reward

for being creative) tend to

reduce creativity

Conditions that promote lightheartedness tend to

facilitate solution

Technique for fostering creativity: brainstorming

– Brainstorming is where you get people together and just try to get

ideas out, to get them up on the board – and completely suspend

criticism (nothing kills creativity like the threat of criticism!)

Incubation (taking a break when you get stuck on a problem) may

encourage creativity

– Helps you break out of mental set and see problem in new way

Does a messy desk promote creativity?

Those in messy spaces generated ideas that were significantly more creative,

according to two independent judges