Ch 12; Problem Solving Pt. 2

Front 1

Analogical Problem SOlving

Back 1

The technique of using the solution to a similar problem to help guide us to a solution of a new problem.

Front 2

Analogical transfer

Back 2

The transfer of experience from solving one problem to solving another problem.

Front 3

Target Problem

Back 3

The main problem that needs to be solved.

Front 4

Source problem

Back 4

A problem or story that shares similarities with a target problem and that illustrates a way to solve the target problem.

Front 5

What is the basic idea behind analogical problem solving?

Back 5

Is that by making connections to previous knowledge, it allows a current problem to be solved faster.

Front 6

How effective is it to present a source problem and then the target problem, without indicating that the source problem is related to the target problem.

Back 6

Relatively effective because some can still draw connections better than when no analogy is given at all 30% compared to 10%. However if you want more people to notice similarities, the relationship should be pointed out.

Front 7

What experiment illustrates that there is a need for noticing an analogous relationship for better problem solving performance.

Back 7

The Fortress story as a source problem to the radiation problem illustrates that when told to think about the story (therefore noticing the similarities between the two) the success rate more than doubles, 75% of participants solved the problem as apposed to the 30% who could without a source problem. This demonstrates that noticing, mapping and applying is crucial for problem solving.

Front 8

What are three steps in the process of analogical problem solving? Which of the steps appears to be the most difficult to achieve.

Back 8

Noticing, Mapping and Applying. Noticing appears to be the hardest to achieve

Front 9

Suface Features

Back 9

Specific elements that make up a problem.

Front 10

How do the surface features and structural features of problems influence a person’s ability to make effective use of analogies in problem solving?

Back 10

Surface features and structural features help people notice and map the connections b/w the source problem and target problem. The more similar they are the more likely it is that a person will solve the target problem

Front 11

Describe an experiment that demonstrates the importance of surface features?

Back 11

The light bulb problem by Holyoak n Kyunghee demonstrated that an increase in surface features causes an increase in analogical transfer. They used a control group that lacked a source problem (analogue-radiation problem). Participants in this group solved the light bulb problem only 10% of the time while the experimental group who were taught and given the solution to the radiation problem solved it 81% of the time.

Front 12

Describe an experiment that demonstrates the importance of structural features?

Back 12

The light bulb again demonstrates the importance of structural features. By using two different versions of the problem to vary the structural features of the problem they were able to show that analogical transfer was again better when the structural features of the source and target problems are similar.
The varying forms were;
a) Fragile glass version (basically the original) where the structural features of the light bulb and radiation problems were similar.
b) Insufficient intensity version – the structural fts of the light bulb and radiation problems differ. Therefore the source and target problems have different structures.

Front 13

Describe techniques that can be used to improve analogical problem solving?

Back 13

One way to help people notice structural similarities is to put them through Analogical encoding. When participants compare two cases that illustrate a principle. When learners compare cases, they become more likely to see the underlying structure. (eg. Trade-off vs compromise/contingency vs compromise)

Front 14

Analogical Paradox

Back 14

When people in experiments tend to focus more on surface features and people in the real world focus more on structural features in analogy problems.

Front 15

How has analogical problem solving been studied in the real world?

Back 15

In vivo problem solving research Observing people to determine how they solve problems in the real world. Eg. Professors teaching, discussions and brainstorming.

Front 16

Expert

Back 16

People who have devoted a lot of time to learning about a field and practicing and applying that learning.

Front 17

What are some differences between the way experts and non-experts go about solving problems?

Back 17

-A novice often sorts a problem based on surface characteristics but an expert is more likely to sort a problem based in structural features eg. Using the general principles of physics. This shows then that the way they have categorized problems are based on the different things.
- Also experts seem to get off to a slow start b/c they are spending time on understanding the problem whereas novices are more inclined to dive in.

Front 18

How good are experts at solving problems outside their field?

Back 18

Not very good or just as good as novices in that field because that is essentially what they are.

Front 19

What is a disadvantage to being an expert?

Back 19

Knowing about the established facts and theories in a field may make experts less open to new ways of looking at problems because you have established a fixed mental set.

Front 20

What is convergent thinking and what type of problem is this associated with?

Back 20

Thinking that works toward finding a solution to a specific problem that usually has a correct answer, therefore it is more associated with well-defined problems.

Front 21

What is divergent thinking and what type of problem is this associated with?

Back 21

Thinking that is open ended involving a large number of potential “solutions” and no correct answer, therefore it is more associated with ill-defined problems.

Front 22

Describe experiments that show how fixation can affect creativity?

Back 22

The effect of fixation on creativity is illustrated by an experiment by Jansson and Smith, where they asked engineering students to design as many designs for a new spill proof coffee cup that does not have a straw or mouthpiece in under 45 minutes. They place participants in two different groups, one that viewed a figure of a coffee cup representing what they were to not do (design fixation group) and another group that saw no figure. The results showed that those in the fixation group struggled to come up with new fresh ideas having illustrated more cups with straws and mouthpieces than the control group that saw no figure.

Front 23

Describe experiments that show de Mestral’s use of analogy to invent Velcro?

Back 23

Analogical thinking, by trying to figure out how to replicate burrs ability to stick surfaces together the invention of Velcro came about.
Creative cognition Training people to think creatively.

Front 24

Describe experiments that show Finke’s creative cognitive procedure?

Back 24

An exercise that instructed participants to make any possible object they can think of (without necessarily having a purpose) by simple selecting three different shapes off a piece of paper, forces people to think an act creatively. When asked to come up with a use for the product they had created Finke found that people were more likely to come up with creative uses for pre-inventive objects that they had created themselves than for objects created by other people. Similar to the generation effect for encoding memory.

Front 25

In what conditions are people with high working memory better at solving math problems than are people with low working memory capacity?

Back 25

When there is low anxiety/pressure conditions, (no money incentive involved) people with high working memory are more likely to do better at solving math problems. In a high anxiety condition however both types of individuals were equivalent when it came to solving math problems.

Front 26

Why is there a difference in problem solving capabilities in different working conditions.

Back 26

A reason behind this is that those with high working memory lost their advantage because the extra working memory they did have, was being diverted into dealing with their increase in anxiety and switch from using their faster more accurate procedures to similar procedures those with LWM would already be implementing.