Wize University Psychology Textbook > Language & Thought
Problem-Solving Theories
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Problem-Solving Theories
Means-End Analysis - process of searching for the steps needed to reduce the differences between our current situation and desired goal
- Analyze the goal
- Analyze the current state
- List differences between the two states
- Reduce the list of differences
- Direct means (solves without intermediate steps)
- Generating subgoals
- Finding similar problems with known solutions
Analogical problem-solving - we solve a problem by finding a similar problem with a known solution and applying that solution to our current problem
Insight - a sudden understanding that appears to come out of nowhere
- Problems solved by insight are associated with a burst of electrical activity in the right temporal lobe about 1/3 of a second before we come up with the solution
Functional fixedness - tendency to perceive the functions of objects as fixed or unchanging, which constricts thinking
- Candle problem - given a candle, box of matches, and thumbtacks, mount the candle on the wall and light it
Anwinkle at English Wikibooks, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Practice: Problem-Solving Theories
Michaela is sitting in a wobbly chair - one leg is just a tiny bit shorter than the others. She can't find a piece of paper or cardboard to stick under it (at least not one that she can spare!). Her younger sister comes along and sticks a thumbtack into the shorter leg, making the chair even. Michaela couldn't solve this problem because of: