Question 1

Employing the hill-climbing strategy is an example of using a(n) ______ strategy.

Accepted Answer

Hill-climbing is a problem-solving heuristic that involves selecting the best option at each step with the goal of eventually reaching the optimal solution. Therefore, it is an example of using a heuristic strategy. Functional fixedness refers to a cognitive bias that can inhibit problem-solving, problem space refers to the set of all possible solutions to a problem, and an algorithm is a step-by-step, systematic problem-solving strategy.

Question 2

______ is a tendency to use the same set of solutions to solve similar problems, whereas ______ is using the same solution for two different problems with the same underlying structure.

Accepted Answer

A mental set refers to the tendency to approach problems in a habitual way, using solutions that have worked in the past, while analogical transfer involves applying the solution to one problem to a different but structurally similar problem.

Question 3

In Gick and Holyoak's study (1980), what was the key to having participants solve the problem of how to help the patient with the inoperable tumor?

Accepted Answer

The key to having participants solve the problem of how to help the patient with the inoperable tumor was to tell them that the army story was related. This allowed them to use the same analogy of attacking the enemy from behind to come up with a solution for the medical problem.

Question 4

A prescribed problem-solving strategy that always leads to the correct solution in problems with a single correct solution is a(n) ______, while a problem-solving strategy that does not always lead to the correct solution is a(n) ______.

Accepted Answer

The definition of an algorithm is that it always leads to the correct solution in problems with a single correct solution. On the other hand, a heuristic is a problem-solving strategy that does not always lead to the correct solution, meaning that it is not a prescribed method for finding a correct solution. Therefore, the best choice is D.

Question 5

Experts generally spend more time analyzing ______, adding relevant knowledge to their representation, and planning their ______.

Accepted Answer

Experts generally spend more time analyzing problems, adding relevant knowledge to their representation, and planning their solutions. Therefore, the best choice is D, where the first blank is filled with "problems" and the second blank is filled with "solutions."

Question 6

Which of the following are explanations for differences in problem solving between experts and novices?

Accepted Answer

Experts tend to have longer fixations on critical aspects of the problem they are trying to solve and mentally group aspects of problems together differently. The other options, C and D, are not widely accepted explanations for differences in problem solving between experts and novices.

Question 7

______ searches consider only part of the search space. Instead of considering all possible solutions, we instead mentally consider potential chains of subproblems, evaluating how each operator changes the current state.

Accepted Answer

This is the definition of heuristics, which involves a mental shortcut to consider only a portion of the potential solutions. The other options are not relevant to this specific concept.

Question 8

In studies of the eye movements of expert and novice gymnastic coaches viewing gymnastics routines, expert coaches had ______ fixations on regions critical to the performance and ______ fixations on non-relevant areas

Accepted Answer

Expert coaches had longer fixations on regions critical to the performance and fewer fixations on non-relevant areas.

Question 9

The research on expertise consistently shows that ______.

Accepted Answer

Experts have a significant advantage in solving problems within their specific domain due to their extensive knowledge and experience, but this advantage does not necessarily extend to areas outside their expertise.

Question 10

Talia needs to solve a complex engineering problem. She employs a predetermined strategy to find a single correct solution. This is an example of a(n) ______.

Accepted Answer

An algorithm is a predetermined set of steps or rules used to solve a problem or complete a task. In this scenario, Talia employs a set strategy to find a single correct solution, indicating the use of an algorithm rather than a heuristic or mental set. While a recipe is also a set of steps to complete a task, it is typically used in the context of cooking or baking rather than problem-solving.

Question 11

Which of the following are heuristic search processes?

Accepted Answer

Heuristic search processes are problem-solving techniques that use a rule of thumb or a rough guideline to find a solution more quickly than other methods. Algorithm strategy, on the other hand, is not a heuristic search process as it is a step-by-step procedure that is guaranteed to find an optimal solution. Means-ends strategy, hill-climbing strategy, and working-backward strategy are all heuristic search processes as they use heuristic rules to guide their search for a solution.

Question 12

When trying to solve a problem like a complicated number puzzle, filling in values though random trial and error will likely lead to frustration. What is the reason for this result?

Accepted Answer

If the problem space is too large, randomly trying values will not likely lead to a solution because the odds of stumbling upon the correct values are small. It is important to approach the problem systematically, breaking it down into smaller subproblems and using strategies to narrow down the possible solutions.

Question 13

Studies examining the eye movements of participants trying to solve math problems found that people ______.

Accepted Answer

Studies have shown that people tend to fixate their gaze on objects or areas that are related to what they are thinking about, indicating a connection between eye movements and cognitive processes.

Question 14

Using Gick and Holyoak's (1980) story involving a general and his army as a way to help solve the problem of a surgeon and his patient with an inoperable tumor is an example of ______.

Accepted Answer

Using the story of the general and his army as a way to solve the problem of a surgeon and his patient with an inoperable tumor involves analogical transfer, which refers to applying knowledge or solutions from one problem or situation to another.

Question 15

Which of the following are processes that Janet Davidson and her colleagues proposed to underlie problem solving?

Accepted Answer

Janet Davidson and her colleagues proposed three processes that underlie problem solving - selective encoding, selective combination, and selective comparison. These processes involve selectively attending to and manipulating information relevant to the problem at hand. Selective introspection is not one of the proposed processes.

Question 16

Asaf is trying to make chicken soup from scratch. He has made three batches so far, but even though he varies the process each time, he cannot figure out what ingredient he is missing. Finally, on his fourth batch, his soup has come out perfectly. This example illustrates ______.

Accepted Answer

The example shows that Asaf is using trial and error to figure out what ingredient he is missing. He varied his process each time to see if the outcome would be different.

Question 17

IDEAL framework stands for______.

Accepted Answer

The IDEAL framework stands for Identify, Define, Explore, Anticipate, Look back. It is a problem-solving model that guides individuals through a process of identifying a problem, defining it clearly, exploring solutions, anticipating outcomes, and looking back to evaluate the results.

Question 18

While working in a lab, you encounter a problem with your experiment. You spend days trying to figure out what is wrong, and finally, it pops into your head that the temperature in the room is incorrect, causing fluctuations in your results. This is an example of ______.

Accepted Answer

The sudden realization of the issue with the temperature is an example of an insight, which is a moment of sudden understanding or awareness that solves a problem. It is not trial and error because it was not a process of repeated attempts with different methods. It is not an algorithm because it was not a predetermined set of steps to solve the problem. It is not recognition because it was not a previously learned and familiar pattern.

Question 19

______ is a problem-solving strategy that involves repeated comparisons between the current state and the goal state.

Accepted Answer

The means-ends strategy involves comparing the current state to the goal state and identifying the differences between the two. Then the problem solver works to reduce those differences by applying relevant operators or subgoals. This process is repeated until the current state matches the goal state. The other strategies listed (working-backward, hill-climbing, and algorithm) do not necessarily involve comparing the current state to the goal state in the same way.

Question 20

Imagine that you are writing a paper and are entering all your references into your bibliography manually. You complete that paper and begin a new one. You start to enter all your references manually again, even though your friend just told you about a great program that does all of that for you and allows you to reformat things within seconds. However, you insist on continuing with your old ways. This example illustrates ______.

Accepted Answer

This example illustrates a mental set, which is the tendency to approach problems using a familiar strategy that has worked in the past, even if it may not be the most efficient or effective method. The individual in this example has a fixed way of completing their bibliography and is not open to trying a new and potentially better method.

Quiz 11: Problem Solving