In Luchins' water jar problems, participants are asked to use three jars of differing volumes (A, B, and C) to create various final amounts of water. After the first few trials, participants learn that the same formula (B-A-2C) will provide the answer for each of the first few problems. However, Luchins noticed that people had the tendency to continue using this formula on other problems, even when these problems had simpler solutions (such as A-C). This particular problem-solving block is called:

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

A mental set is a tendency to approach problems using a mindset that has worked previously, even when a simpler solution is available.

In Luchins' Water Jar Problems, Participants Are Asked to Use