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1. Problem Solving
Created @August 21, 2025 1:48 AM
Class PS2021
Goel 2010: Problem Definition
(1) Two states of affairs
(2) The agent [problem solver] is in one state and wants to be in the other
state
(3) Not apparent to the agent how the gap between the two states is to be
bridged
(4) Bridging the gap is a consciously guided multi-step process
Gestaltists argued problems requiring productive thinking are often solved
using insight
“Aha! experience”: a sudden comprehension or solution of a non-obvious
problem (Kounious & Beeman, 2014)
Non-insight problems (procedural problems) have difficulty calculating:
1. the number of operations to be performed
2. the amount of data to be processed and remembered
The solution cannot be reached at once and requires a serial process, step by
step, with a gradual simplification of the problem
The Cryptoarithmetic Problem (Bartlett, 1958; Simon and Newell, 1971)
Insight: Representational Change Theory
Ohlsson (1992, 2011) developed the Gestaltist approach
One forms a mental representation of the problem
1. Problem Solving 1
, This causes activation of several mental operators related via prior
knowledge through an unconscious process
The mental operator most strongly activated is retrieved
The problem representation is then searched by heuristics (rules of
thumb) - If this proves unsuccessful, an impasse is encountered.
Impasse: The experience of being blocked: not knowing how to proceed when
mental representation is incorrect
Solution: change (or restructure) the problem representation for insight to
occur:
1. Constraint relaxation: inhibitions on what is regarded as permissible
are removed
2. Re-encoding: some aspect of the representation is re-interpreted
3. Elaboration: new problem information is added to the representation
Ohlsson (2014): The Nine Dot Problem
Cover nine dots with four straight lines without removing the hand from the
paper
The wrong attempt: staying within the virtual square boundaries
(Mosconi, 1997): re-interpret the received message to reach the solution; it
is permissible to cross square boundaries
Non-Insight: The General Problem Solver
Newell & Simon’s (1972) computer program designed to solve well-defined
problems
Argued RCT do not consider human’s very limited short-term memory
capacity
Complex information processing is typically serial (one process at a time)
Problems represented in ‘problem space’
1. Problem Solving 2
1. Problem Solving
Created @August 21, 2025 1:48 AM
Class PS2021
Goel 2010: Problem Definition
(1) Two states of affairs
(2) The agent [problem solver] is in one state and wants to be in the other
state
(3) Not apparent to the agent how the gap between the two states is to be
bridged
(4) Bridging the gap is a consciously guided multi-step process
Gestaltists argued problems requiring productive thinking are often solved
using insight
“Aha! experience”: a sudden comprehension or solution of a non-obvious
problem (Kounious & Beeman, 2014)
Non-insight problems (procedural problems) have difficulty calculating:
1. the number of operations to be performed
2. the amount of data to be processed and remembered
The solution cannot be reached at once and requires a serial process, step by
step, with a gradual simplification of the problem
The Cryptoarithmetic Problem (Bartlett, 1958; Simon and Newell, 1971)
Insight: Representational Change Theory
Ohlsson (1992, 2011) developed the Gestaltist approach
One forms a mental representation of the problem
1. Problem Solving 1
, This causes activation of several mental operators related via prior
knowledge through an unconscious process
The mental operator most strongly activated is retrieved
The problem representation is then searched by heuristics (rules of
thumb) - If this proves unsuccessful, an impasse is encountered.
Impasse: The experience of being blocked: not knowing how to proceed when
mental representation is incorrect
Solution: change (or restructure) the problem representation for insight to
occur:
1. Constraint relaxation: inhibitions on what is regarded as permissible
are removed
2. Re-encoding: some aspect of the representation is re-interpreted
3. Elaboration: new problem information is added to the representation
Ohlsson (2014): The Nine Dot Problem
Cover nine dots with four straight lines without removing the hand from the
paper
The wrong attempt: staying within the virtual square boundaries
(Mosconi, 1997): re-interpret the received message to reach the solution; it
is permissible to cross square boundaries
Non-Insight: The General Problem Solver
Newell & Simon’s (1972) computer program designed to solve well-defined
problems
Argued RCT do not consider human’s very limited short-term memory
capacity
Complex information processing is typically serial (one process at a time)
Problems represented in ‘problem space’
1. Problem Solving 2
