Exam 3 Study Guide: Chapter 11 - Problem Solving

Which scenario best illustrates a well-defined problem rather than an ill-defined problem?

• Writing a poem with flexible criteria

• Debating ethics with open-ended goals

• Diagnosing vague symptoms without tests

• Solving a maze with clear rules

You are planning a route through a complex city. Which approach reflects using an algorithm rather than a heuristic?

• Trying several random turns quickly

• Systematically evaluating every possible path

• Choosing roads that look less congested

• Following a friend’s usual shortcut

A designer struggles to repurpose a plastic bottle because they only see it as a container. What bias is most responsible?

• Anchoring on initial information

• Functional fixedness limiting uses

• Availability bias favoring examples

• Confirmation bias about prior beliefs

Which description best captures the problem space for a logic puzzle?

• All rules, states, and possible moves

• Only the final solution state

• The emotional context of solving

• The time available to attempt

A student repeatedly applies last week’s successful strategy even when it no longer fits the new task. Which concept explains this?

• Mental set constraining strategy choice

• Insight revealing hidden relations

• Incubation reducing interference

• Conformity aligning with group norms

During a break from a tough riddle, a sudden solution emerges. Which pair best explains this phenomenon?

• Insight and incubation processes

• Heuristics and trial-and-error

• Fixation and overthinking effects

• Conformity and social pressure

Which plan most appropriately uses means–ends analysis to solve a problem?

• Select the first option that seems familiar

• Compare current state to goal, reduce differences

• Set a distant goal and wait passively

• Randomly attempt actions and keep successes

A team copies a prestigious firm’s solution without evaluating fit. Which bias is primarily at work?

• Algorithmic search through options

• Conformity to external authority

• Functional fixedness on materials

• Insight from analogical mapping

Which situation best demonstrates analogical transfer in problem solving?

• Ignoring previous tasks to avoid bias

• Memorizing a formula by repetition

• Mapping a prior solution to a new domain

• Choosing the option with most details

Which strategy is most effective for overcoming fixation during problem solving?

• Increase time pressure to force choices

• Persist with the initial representation

• Limit information to reduce complexity

• Reframe the problem from new perspectives