Question 1

Which of the following problems is MOST ill-defined?

Accepted Answer

Sarah's problem is very broad and lacks specificity. It is unclear what impressing her boss entails and what specific actions or goals she should set for herself. The other options provide more specific parameters for decision-making.

Question 2

Which of the following is one reason why a creative person might be better able to problem-solve than a less creative person?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following is one reason...

Question 3

A problem-solving set

Accepted Answer

A problem-solving set can be helpful because it narrows down the options and eliminates obviously irrelevant ones. This can save time and cognitive effort. However, it may also lead to overlooking creative or unconventional solutions that fall outside of the established set. Therefore, it is important to be open to alternative approaches and not be too rigidly confined to a set.

Question 4

The tendency to be rigid in how one thinks about an object's function is called

Accepted Answer

Functional fixedness refers to the cognitive bias of being unable to see an object's potential uses beyond its typical or traditional function.

Question 5

An ill-defined problem is one in which

Accepted Answer

An ill-defined problem is one in which the goal and the operations for reaching that goal are not clearly defined. This means that it is difficult to determine what steps should be taken to solve the problem.

Question 6

Experts have an advantage in problem solving and remembering certain information (like the position of chess pieces)for all of the following reasons EXCEPT that they

Accepted Answer

This option is the only one that is not a reason why experts have an advantage in problem-solving and information recall. In fact, experts are more likely to avoid relying on simple heuristics and instead use more complex strategies based on their knowledge and experience. A, B, and C are all valid reasons why experts have an advantage. They use units of information to break down problems into manageable parts, create larger units that serve a specific purpose, and organize information, respectively.

Question 7

Bob works in marketing and wants to be creative at his work.Which of these is LEAST likely to be a prerequisite for his creativity?

Accepted Answer

Being strongly motivated by external rewards can actually hinder creativity, as it can lead individuals to focus more on meeting certain expectations or achieving specific goals rather than exploring new ideas and possibilities. Therefore, it is least likely to be a prerequisite for creativity.

The other options are more likely to contribute to creativity: having knowledge about one's domain can fuel innovative ideas, being able to ignore criticism can allow individuals to take risks and try new approaches without fear of failure, and being willing to take risks and not follow the crowd can lead to unique and original ideas.

Question 8

Participants approach a problem with certain assumptions about how the problem should be handled and the sorts of strategies that are likely to be productive.These assumptions are referred to as

Accepted Answer

The answer of Participants approach a problem with certain assumptions...

Question 9

According to Wallas's theory of creativity,the initial period in which a problem solver gathers information is known as

Accepted Answer

According to Wallas's theory of creativity, the first stage in the creative process is preparation. This is the stage in which the problem solver gathers information, researches the topic, and identifies potential solutions.

Question 10

Analogies are

Accepted Answer

Analogies can be a powerful tool for promoting understanding and solving problems because they help to make connections between things that might otherwise seem unrelated. By comparing a problem to something that is more familiar, we can often gain insights into how it works or how we might approach finding a solution. While analogies may not be appropriate for all types of problems, they can be very effective in many cases. Option A is incorrect because analogies do not necessarily depend on a problem's surface structure; rather, they depend on the underlying principles or relationships that are relevant to the problem. Option B is incorrect because analogies can be useful for solving unfamiliar problems as well as familiar ones. Option D is incorrect because analogies can apply to a wide range of problem types, not just a narrow set.

Question 11

Dell,a problem-solving amateur,is trying to solve the "hobbits and orcs" problem,and so she must determine how to move the creatures across a river.Dell is most likely to be helped if she has had earlier experience with

Accepted Answer

Having experienced a similar problem with hobbits and orcs will provide Dell with some background knowledge and understanding of the situation, making it easier for her to find a solution.

Question 12

Which of the following statements about creative people is most correct?

Accepted Answer

Creative people often use similar strategies and processes as less creative individuals but may apply them in more novel or flexible ways. The difference often lies in how they approach and manipulate these strategies rather than possessing a fundamentally different cognitive architecture or being immune to common cognitive obstacles.

Question 13

According to the text,current research indicates that creative problem solving

Accepted Answer

The text suggests that creative problem solving draws on heuristics and analogies in the same way that ordinary problem solving does.

Question 14

Studies of analogy use indicate that participants

Accepted Answer

Participants are more likely to use analogies when there is a superficial resemblance between the current problem and the base problem, as this resemblance makes the analogy more apparent and easier to apply.

Question 15

One way to turn an ill-defined question into a well-defined question is to

Accepted Answer

Adding extra constraints or assumptions to the problem will make it more specific and define the parameters of the question, thus making it well-defined. This provides a clear goal state for the problem to be solved. Making the question less specific or rhetorical can lead to ambiguity and confusion, while removing any clear or concrete goal state from the problem makes it impossible to solve.

Question 16

Eric is trying to solve a problem but has to interrupt his work on the problem in order to attend a meeting.After the meeting,he returns to the problem and immediately solves it.Which of the following is the LEAST likely explanation of Eric's revelation?

Accepted Answer

The least likely explanation is that Eric developed a problem-solving set during the meeting, as the meeting was unrelated to the problem and unlikely to contribute directly to forming a new approach.

Question 17

Many years ago,Wallas argued that creative thought proceeds through four stages.Which of the following is NOT one of these stages?

Accepted Answer

The four stages proposed by Wallas are preparation, incubation, illumination, and verification. Articulation is not one of the stages proposed by him.

Question 18

As Vanessa worked on the problem,she narrated her progress out loud,saying things like "No,that option doesn't seem to work.No,that doesn't work either." Then Vanessa abruptly shouted,"I think I've got it!" These reports seem to capture the phenomenon called

Accepted Answer

The phenomenon described is "illumination," which refers to the moment in the creative process when a sudden insight or solution to a problem is realized. This is often preceded by a period of contemplation or unsuccessful attempts, as illustrated by Vanessa's narration of her thought process before arriving at the solution.

Question 19

It was starting to rain,and Marcus did not have an umbrella or a hat.To keep dry,he held his psychology textbook over his head.In this case,Marcus

Accepted Answer

Functional fixedness refers to the tendency to think of objects as only having their intended use. In this case, by using his psychology textbook as a makeshift umbrella, Marcus has managed to overcome functional fixedness and think creatively about the object's possible uses. The other options are not applicable to this situation.

Question 20

________ is an ability to think about concepts/ideas in a new way.________ is an ability to see ways in which seemingly different concepts/ideas might be related.

Accepted Answer

Divergent thinking is the ability to generate multiple ideas or solutions to a problem, while convergent thinking is the ability to analyze and evaluate these ideas to determine the best solution. Therefore, the ability to think about concepts in a new way (e.g. generating multiple ideas) is an example of divergent thinking, while the ability to see how seemingly different concepts are related (e.g. analyzing and evaluating multiple ideas to determine their connections) is an example of convergent thinking.

Quiz 13: Problem Solving and Intelligence