Problem Solving

 Problem Solving

- You have a problem when you have a goal and don't know immediately how to reach it 

    a). e.g., finding a job after college, finding a marital partner

- Problem solving is seen to involve a set of processes operating in a problem space

    a) understanding problem

    b) evoking an internal representation containing ( initial state, goal state, methods for operating on            states 

Types of Problem

- Well structured problems are those with clear initial state, goal states, and methods for changing states. 

   Tower of hanoi , missionaries & cannibals ( hobbits & orcs) are typical puzzles studied in laboratory

- Ill- Structured problems usually fail on of the above.

   finding a spouse, writing a good term paper

- Problems with inducing structure.

   142434445464? (what is next)

-Transformation problems

  Water jar problem

- Arrangement problems

   Anagrams: efcta

Problem Solving is the set of cognitive processes that we apply to reach a goal when we must overcome obstacles to reach that goal

The Process of problem solving :

- Perceptual recognition of the problem

- Representation of problem in WM

- Retreival of relevant information

- Using language to label elements