Understanding the Problem
Process necessary to reach a goal, typically in situations where the solution is not immediately obvious
Problem solving
Method that will always produce a solution to the problem, although the process can be inefficient
Algorithm
Exceptional skill and performance on representative tasks for a particular area
Expertise
The number of different responses made to test an item
Divergent production
The motivation to work on a task in order to earn a promised reward or to win a competition
Extrinsic motivation
Three components of problem solving
Initial state, goal state, and obstacles
A general rule that is usually correct
Heuristic
The belief that you possess a certain amount of intelligence and other skills, and no amount of effort can help you perform better
Fixed mindset
A measure of creativity requiring the test-taker to supply a single, best response; the researchers measure the quality of that response
Convergent production
The motivation to work on tasks for their own sake, because you find them interesting, exciting, or personally challenging
Intrinsic motivation
The way one translates the elements of a problem into a different format
Problem representation
Employing a solution to a similar, earlier problem to help solve a new problem
Analogy approach
Trying the same solution you used in previous problems, even though you could solve the problem by using a different, easier method
Mental set
In problem solving, finding solutions that are both novel and useful
Creativity
The belief that you have the ability to organize and carry out a specific task
Self-efficacy
We use helpful information in our immediate environment to create spatial representations
Situated cognition approach
A set of problems that have the same underlying structures and solutions, but different specific details
Problem isomorphs
When a problem that initially seems impossible to solve, but then an alternative approach suddenly bursts into your consciousness which leads to a correct solution
Insight problem
Creativity occurs with two types of attention
Focused and defocused
The ability to keep working on a task, even when you encounter obstacles
Perseverance
We use our own body and motor actions to express abstract thoughts and knowledge
Embodied cognition approach
When trying to solve a problem, one chooses the alternative solution that seems to lead most directly towards the goal
Hill-climbing heuristic
Assigning stable functions to an object without thinking about the features of an object that can be useful for solving a problem
Functional fixedness
Creativity is associated with which regions within the brain
Many regions in both the left and right hemispheres
What can reduce creativity
Extrinsic motivation