Cognition - Key Vocab (Problem Solving)

What is "Hill-Climbing"

• A type of problem solving method where the problem solver takes small steps, evaluating each step to see whether it brings them closer to the solution.

• A type of problem solving method where the problem solver takes no steps and the answer just suddenly comes to them.

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• A type of problem solving method where the problem solver uses previous experience to guide their solution to the problem.

Insight problems

• problems where the solution is insightful

• problems where the problem solver comes up with the solution all at once , not gradually.

• problems that are solved step by step

• answer not provided

Confirmation Bias

• the tendency to overestimate how accurate our beliefs are.

• a tendency to search for outside information that challenges our beliefs

• a tendency to search for information that supports our pre-existing beliefs while ignoring information that contradicts them.

• a tendency to search for information that supports our

Cognitive Dissonance

• Creating distance between your beliefs and reality.

• Looking at the way a scenario is worded or posed and changing our judgements or decisions accordingly.

• When our actions do not match our beliefs we tend to create an excuse to relief feelings of discomfort.

• Mistakenly believing in something false

Availability Heuristic

• Using our emotional intelligence to gauge the effectiveness of a certain problem solving technique.

• We tend to estimate the likelihood of an event based on how available a similar circumstance is in our memory. Events that come easily to mind can cause us to believe they occur more often

• Thinking critically about a problem based on prior knowledge

• Using logic when creating meaning in our lives

Representative Heuristic

• We tend to estimate the likelihood of an event or create a judgment based on how much meaning we apply to the memory of a particular event.

• we tend to estimate the likelihood of an event or create a judgment based on how closely they match a stereotype.

• we tend to estimate the likelihood of an event or create a judgement based on how they represent our states of mind

• Being represented by a heuristical mental state.

When a problem solver sets aside an unsolved problem and thinks about something else

• Cognitive Dissonance

• Incubation

• Insight

• Framing

 Solving a problem by a combination of forward- and backward-looking strategies

• means end analysis

• convergent thinking

• divergent thinking

• analogical problem solving