Introduction to Problem Solving in Psychology

  • Initial focus on the concepts of "thinking" and "language" in psychological approaches.

  • Duration allocated: initial days on thinking, later days on language.

  • The importance of mental sets in problem-solving processes.

Mental Set

  • Definition: A mental set is a pre-determined way of approaching a problem based on previous experiences and strategies that have proven successful before.

  • Exemplification:

    • Example: Bert's approach to fixing issues with his iPhone by restarting it every time.

    • Scenario: When the usual method fails, Bert discarded the phone instead of considering alternative solutions, highlighting how reliance on a habitual strategy can limit problem-solving abilities.

  • Implication: Mental sets can lead to getting "stuck in a rut" and hinder our ability to think outside the box.

Functional Fixedness

  • Definition: A cognitive limitation where a person can only see a single use for an object, thus hindering creativity in problem-solving.

  • Narrative:

    • Example of personal experience in an apartment where a closet was impractical for hanging clothes. The solution proposed was to use a bookshelf as a shoe rack.

    • Ex-husband's perspective: He was fixated on the bookshelf being solely for books and resisted the idea of using it differently.

  • Flexibility in Object Use:

    • Personal anecdote about using a Yeti thermos not just for its intended purpose (holding tea) but as a potential means of self-defense.

Creative Problem Solving Activity

  • Setup: Challenge to place a candle at eye level on a door using tacks, matches, and candles without letting wax drip to the ground.

  • Proposed Solutions:

    • Utilizing a thumbtack to secure the candle on the wall, with a tack to catch the drips of melting wax.

    • Alternative proposal: Utilizing the matchbox to stabilize the candle through innovative reimagining of the items on hand.

  • Realization: The difficulty in solving the problem stems from functional fixedness, which limits initial thinking.

The Influence of Object Presentation

  • Experiment re-enacted to underline how the presentation of objects impacts problem-solving outcomes.

  • Discussion on the common oversight of reconfiguring an item (the matchbox) for an alternate purpose.

Availability Heuristics

  • Definition: A cognitive bias where individuals assess the probability of events based on how easily examples come to mind.

  • Implications:

    • Ease of recall influences perceptions disproportionately, potentially leading to distorted assessments of risk.

    • Example: Despite being statistically safer, a fear of flying rises after a recent crash due to its availability in memory.

  • Comparisons: Media framing often amplifies negative perceptions of events that are easily recalled (e.g., plane crashes compared to car accidents).

Real-World Applications of Availability Heuristics

  • Shifts in perceptions about safety and probability influenced by media coverage, e.g., issues like climate change or common accidents not receiving the same attention as a widely reported tragedy.

  • Analysis of public fears heavily influenced by sensationalized events and narratives, indicating a disconnect between statistical data and public perception.

Risk Evaluation and Miscalculations

  • Comparison of risks associated with rides and activities:

    • Misconception: Roller coasters are riskier than merry-go-rounds.

    • Statistical evidence: Less than 10% of amusement-related injuries come from roller coasters; far more from merry-go-round incidents.

    • Emphasis on understanding that perceptions may not reflect actual data.

Overconfidence in Decision Making

  • Definition: A tendency for individuals to overestimate their skills, knowledge, or the accuracy of their judgments.

  • Example Question: Confidently answering trivia without sufficient knowledge highlights the prevalence of overconfidence.

  • Real-life implications of overconfidence seen in organizational decisions, personal judgments, and abilities.

  • Historical case: British Petroleum (BP) and their overestimation of safety measures leading to the Gulf of Mexico oil spill as a cautionary tale of overconfidence.

The Overconfidence Effect in Action

  • Participants shown to consistently provide narrow ranges while answering questions they were unsure about, reflecting their overconfidence.

  • Discussion about the internal cognitive struggles that lead to overconfidence and the importance of acknowledging uncertainty.

Belief Perseverance

  • Definition: The tendency to maintain a belief even in the face of contradictory evidence.

  • Religious beliefs as an example of how faith persists without empirical proof.

  • Broader societal implications where individuals resist changing their beliefs even when provided substantial evidence against them.

  • Positive examples of belief perseverance, where someone continues to see themselves positively after a single failure, emphasizing self-identity's impact on belief.

Addressing Belief Perseverance

  • Consideration of how parents may inflate or misinterpret their children's capabilities or character based on preconceived notions.

  • Importance of remaining open to evidence and the ability to reassess beliefs in light of new information.

Conclusion of Session

  • Wrap-up of the psychological concepts covered: mental set, functional fixedness, heuristics, risk assessment, overconfidence, and belief perseverance.

  • Note of encouragement to engage with the material actively and reflect through activities related to belief perseverance in upcoming class.