Question 1

Your professor poses a question to your class about information in your assigned reading. Although you think you might know the answer, you don't raise your hand to answer because you're afraid that if you're wrong, the other students might laugh at you. You are experiencing which barrier to problem solving?

Accepted Answer

The fear of embarrassment or ridicule from others is an emotional barrier to problem solving, as it involves feelings of anxiety or fear that prevent someone from taking action or making a decision.

Question 2

When tested with Karl Duncker's candle problem, five-year-old children showed no signs of functional fixedness because, compared to adults, the children

Accepted Answer

Children showed no signs of functional fixedness in the candle problem primarily because they had less experience with the conventional uses of the objects involved, allowing them to think about the objects in more creative and unconventional ways.

Question 3

A beginning artist concentrates on drawing a vase of flowers without seeing that the "empty" spaces around the vase are part of the composition, too. This illustrates which barrier to problem solving?

Accepted Answer

This illustrates a perceptual barrier to problem solving, where the artist's focus on the object (the vase of flowers) prevents them from recognizing the importance of the negative space (the "empty" spaces) around the object as part of the overall composition.

Question 4

You tell your parents about the "funny stories" that your psychology teacher uses to explain various concepts and theories. Your parents respond that they are not sending you to college to hear "funny stories" and that the teacher should lecture on the subject like when they went to college. Which barrier to problem solving is illustrated by your parents' comment?

Accepted Answer

The answer of You tell your parents about the "funny...

Question 5

In an example from your textbook, subjects were exposed to the following problem: A $5 bill is placed on a table and a stack of objects is balanced precariously on top of the bill. The problem is to remove the $5 bill without touching or moving any of the objects on top of it. The best solution to this problem involves tearing the money. People who fail to solve this problem because they view it as a "taboo" to destroy "things of value" are probably experiencing which barrier to problem solving?

Accepted Answer

The answer of In an example from your textbook, subjects...

Question 6

Beliefs, such as "fantasy and playfulness are only for children," can interfere with problem solving and are called __________ barriers.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Beliefs, such as "fantasy and playfulness are...

Question 7

Functional fixedness, or conventions about uses or meanings, fall under the category of which barrier to problem solving?

Accepted Answer

Functional fixedness is a cognitive bias that limits a person to using an object only in the way it is traditionally used, which is a learned response rather than cultural, perceptual, or emotional.

Question 8

Seeing the world without preconceptions tends to lead to

Accepted Answer

Seeing the world without preconceptions allows for a more open-minded approach, which can enhance creativity and lead to the discovery of innovative solutions. This perspective encourages thinking outside the box and viewing problems and situations from new angles.

Question 9

An architect is afraid to try an unconventional design because she fears that other architects will think her design is impractical and unattractive. This architect's problem solving is being blocked by which type of barrier?

Accepted Answer

The architect's fear of criticism from her peers is an emotional barrier, as it involves her feelings and anxieties about potential negative judgments, which hinders her willingness to explore innovative solutions.

Question 10

In attempting to solve a problem, a subject fails to see that the old doorknob in the box could be used as a weight to hang on the balance scale. This subject is exhibiting

Accepted Answer

Functional fixedness is a cognitive bias that limits a person to using an object only in the way it is traditionally used, which explains why the subject couldn't see the doorknob as anything other than a doorknob, rather than as a potential weight.

Question 11

Claudia's failure to see that a trash bag would make an excellent makeshift raincoat is an example of

Accepted Answer

Functional fixedness is the inability to see an object being used for something other than what it was designed for. Claudia's inability to see the trash bag as a makeshift raincoat is an example of this cognitive bias.

Question 12

As a barrier to problem solving, the fear of making a fool of yourself or of making a mistake is called a(n)__________ barrier.

Accepted Answer

The fear of making a fool of yourself or of making a mistake is an emotional barrier to problem solving. This type of barrier is related to feelings of anxiety, embarrassment, or fear that can prevent individuals from attempting to solve a problem or from trying new solutions.

Question 13

Because psychology students tend to define "negative" as "bad," students often incorrectly define "negative reinforcement" as a punishment. This illustrates which barrier to problem solving?

Accepted Answer

Learned barriers to problem solving involve incorrect beliefs or assumptions that people have acquired over time. In this case, psychology students have learned to associate the term "negative" with "bad," leading to a misunderstanding of the concept of "negative reinforcement" in the context of psychology.

Question 14

A cook does not have any clean mixing bowls and has no way to wash them. If this cook fails to see that he could use a frying pan or part of his double boiler as a mixing bowl, he is exhibiting which barrier to problem solving?

Accepted Answer

The answer of A cook does not have any clean...

Question 15

Habits that lead to a failure to identify important elements of a problem are referred to as which type of barrier to problem solving?

Accepted Answer

Perceptual barriers to problem solving involve a failure to see important aspects of a problem due to the way an individual perceives or interprets the information. This can lead to overlooking critical elements necessary for finding a solution.

Question 16

If you have ever been without a screwdriver and took a dime out of your pocket and used it to loosen a screw, then you did not let which of the following be a barrier to your thinking?

Accepted Answer

Functional fixedness is the inability to see an object being used for something other than what it was designed for. Using a dime as a screwdriver demonstrates overcoming this cognitive bias.

Question 17

A corporate manager wants to solve a business problem but becomes stern and angry when members of his marketing team joke playfully about possible solutions. This manager is exhibiting which barrier to problem solving?

Accepted Answer

The answer of A corporate manager wants to solve a...

Question 18

One barrier to the use of group learning in the American classrooms is the view by some parents and teachers that students should strive for independence and self-sufficiency in their learning. Thus, the barrier to the use of group learning would be classified as a(n)__________ barrier.

Accepted Answer

The barrier is cultural because it stems from the values and beliefs about independence and self-sufficiency in learning that are prevalent in American society.

Question 19

In one of his studies, Karl Duncker asked students to mount a candle on a vertical board so the candle could burn normally. The students who saw the box in which the materials were presented as only a container rather than as a part of the solution were exhibiting

Accepted Answer

Functional fixedness is a cognitive bias that limits a person to using an object only in the way it is traditionally used. In Duncker's candle problem, the difficulty in seeing the box as anything other than a container for the tacks exemplifies this concept, as the solution requires using the box as a candle holder.

Question 20

A mental block to problem solving that is due to excessive self-criticism or involves an inability to tolerate ambiguity is called

Accepted Answer

An emotional barrier is a mental block to problem solving that can arise from excessive self-criticism or an inability to tolerate ambiguity, hindering effective thinking and decision-making.

Quiz 8: Cognition, Language, and Creativity