Analogy Approach
This problem-solving strategy involves using a solution from a previous problem to solve a new one.
What is the analogy approach?
When using the means-ends heuristic, this is the term for the smaller problems you must solve along the way.
What are subproblems?
The hill-climbing heuristic is named after this outdoor activity, where you choose the steepest path to reach the top.
What is hiking?
People often fail to solve new problems because they focus specific objects and terms, instead of the underlying structure.
What are surface features?
This term describes the state you begin with before attempting to solve a problem.
What is the initial state?
A key weakness of the hill-climbing heuristic is that it focuses on these types of gains rather than long-term success.
What are short-term gains?
This term refers to a set of problems with the same underlying structure and solution but different surface details.
What are problem isomorphs?
The Elves-and-Goblins problem shows that this type of memory is especially active when organizing sequences of moves.
What is working memory?
The hill-climbing heuristic may lead you astray because it discourages making these types of moves, even if they are beneficial.
What are backward moves?
This cognitive limitation makes people less likely to successfully use analogies in problem solving.
What is limited metacognitive ability?
When simulating problem solving, researchers test whether these are made when solving a difficult task.
What are false starts?
The heuristic often fails because problem solvers only consider this part of their options.
What is the immediate next step?
According to the situated cognition perspective, people often fail to solve the same problem in a new one of these.
What is a setting?
This broad theory, related to John Anderson’s work, helps explain how people acquire skills and solve problems.
What is ACT-R theory?
This heuristic involves choosing the option that appears to lead most directly to your goal.
What is the hill-climbing heuristic?