NOV 21st
What was the point of the Metcalfe & Wiebe study, and what was it?
Try to figure out the solution to the problem, show how you can move three circles so that you can get the triangle to point to the bottom of the page
Three equations shown:
(3x^2 +2x +10)(3x)=
(2x+y(3x-y)=
Factor: 16y^2-40yz+25z^2
One student applied prior knowledge, the other student didn’t
The second student worked through the problem, the first student didn’t
CONCEPTS OF INSIGHT VS PROCESS ORIENTED
What gets in the way of us arriving at insight?
Biased (Top Down Processing)
Fixed (In what we believe a solution to be)
Stuck (We don’t know how to unstick ourselves)
What do you think get’s in the way of us working around functional fixedness?
We don’t experiment enough
“The difficulty lies, not in the new ideas, but in escaping from the old ones, which ramify… into every corner of our minds” -Keynes
What does Einstellung mean?
SET: occurs when the first idea that comes to mind, triggered by familar features of a problem, prevents a better solution to be found
What did Dunker's Radiation Analogic Transfer Problem show us?
It’s the same problem, however, the objects and characters are different.
Therefore, the solution can be applied analogously to the oncology problem. This is called analogous transfer.
What does the term Insight Oriented mean? What does the term Process Oriented mean?
INSIGHT ORIENTED: You don’t know when you are getting closer and closer to a situation. There is nothing to depict that you are getting closer. (AHA moment)
PROCESS ORIENTED: Gradual, you work at it, and you always see the final solution in sight. (the FINALLY moment)
What is Functional fixedness and what's an example of it?
Functional fixedness:Look at the bottle and you fixed that the bottle can only be used for one purpose (drinking the liquid). We’re stuck on applying and using resources around us for its original intent. We don’t think about alternative uses for objects.
Soda Bottle Image OR rope example
What makes this brilliant? It’s innovative because its abstract thinking, inexpensive, use of an everyday item, and resourceful. They repurposed the bottle . The intent of a plastic bottle is to enjoy a sugary think.
What's an ill-defined problem?
If the problem is ill-defined the solution is also ill-defined
EX: How do we end world hunger, and senseless homicide? How do we eradicate racism?
No one has the solution, because if they did have the solution we wouldn’t have any of those problems
Problem solving that’s gradual…(Sometimes finding the solution is not about reorganizing or reframing a problem, but by working through it)
- The Tower of Hanoi: (3 polls with discs) The task is to move all of the discs from one poll to another. (You can only move one disk at a time, and you cannot put a larger disc on top of a smaller disc.
What is the process of analogical problem solving Glick?
Construct a mental representation of the source and target (both sets of problems) (Oncology + Fantasy problem, How do represent both problems in a way where you can draw similarities?)
Select a source that is an analog to the threat
Map components of the source and target
(How do you get at a target without destroying the perimeter? (Whether or not it’s a village or a tumor. Get a different perspective: EX: Why Kang asked people to sit in different seats (forces them to experience the lecture differently)
Use the map to generate a parallel solution to the target problem
Another example of what all of us do, perhaps unconsciously. These are the steps we naturally take when we solve problems.
What is Insight Oriented problem-solving?
the clear and sudden understanding of how to solve a problem. Insight is thought to arise when a solver breaks free of unwarranted assumptions or forms novel task-related connections between existing concepts or skills
How do you define a problem?
There is an initial state and there is a place you want to go, however getting there is not completely obvious, nor is it clear otherwise we wouldn't have a problem
What is divergent thinking?
You have one concept and what are different ways to consider and understand that concept)(this is very similar to functional unfixedness)
What is the problem space?
Consists of a set of symbolic structures (inital, intermediate, goal states) and a set of operators (rules). Sequences of operators define paths that thread their way through sequences of states.
What does Jansson & Smith's Design fixation study tell us?
Another example of what all of us do, perhaps unconsciously. These are the steps we naturally take when we solve problems.
There were 2 groups in this study. 1 group(fixation group) has to do the same thing that we were asked to do but got a photo reference, the second group didn’t get shown the picture. (Control group)
What are some of the things that help with mental restructuring?
Reconsolidation: Sleep promotes insight because when we sleep we’re able to reconsolidate information we’re working on and retrieve the information and reconfigure it in unique ways. (Sleep strengthens and consolidates the extraction of explicit knowledge and catalyzes mental restructuring )
What are two ways to approach problem-solving?
1. AHA Moment- This is the initial state, you’re thinking “how do you solve this problem?”, you mull over it, take a nap or a walk, and all of a sudden you figure out how to solve it (You’re not making any progress whatsoever but then all of a sudden you have the idea)
2. FINALLY moment: There’s a problem you’re working it, working it, patiently, getting tired, the solution is not obvious, you take a pause, move forward, move backward etc (anti-climatic) you can see the solution in the horizon (you’re so close).
What does the Carr and others study highlight?
There is this neuro theory a personality propensity to want to always create and try new things.
If you have this personality inclination you’ll be more motivated to explore, and if you explore you will be exposed to a lot more things such as divergent thinking
What is the problem state? What are the rules called in a problem space?
- The initial state and goal state are parts of a larger term that's called the problem state: the problem state contains the problem (it contains the initial state and the state you want to move forward)
- Operators
What were Bowden's thoughts on solving problems?
Bowden explains that we often get stuck not being able to solve a problem because whenever we approach a problem, what is highly activated is general information that is not related to the solution. And there is also weak activation of information that is critical for the solution
What did the Box, Matches, and candle study show?
functional fixedness.
We normally use thumbtacks to attach an object to a cork board, thus our initial reaction is to stick with those initial functions (we attempt to attach the candle to the corkboard, but won’t prevent the wax from falling)
What does the Lunchins study show? and what is it?
Three jugs, (ABC), they all contain volumes of water. How would you have to mix and pour liquid from one container into another container with the volume capacity to achieve 100?
How to do it: B - A = B (127-21= 106) B- cc= B (106-3-3=B) (WORKS for all of them = formula) Simplified A-C
You’re so stuck on the complicated solution, that you apply that solution throughout even though there is a simpler solution available to you. (You can’t see it because you’re STUCK)
What is meands ends anayalsis?
Means end analysis: Compare the current state with the desired state to detect any difference; use that difference to select an operator that reduces or eliminates it; otherwise proceed as in heuristic search
When we solve problems as humans, automatically unconsciously do this. We always evaluate whether we’re getting closer and closer to a goal
EX: Review sheet (20 practice multiple choice questions) the scoring you get on the practice exam is it close to what you want to earn on exam 4