PSYCO258 Chapter Notes - Chapter 10: Functional Fixedness, Memory Consolidation, Coin Problem

• School: University of Alberta
• Department: Psychology
• Course: PSYCO258
• Professor: Blaine Mullins

Document Summary

Problem: there is an obstacle between the current and goal state and it is not obvious how to overcome this obstacle. Well-defined problem: has a definite answer (ex. math problems) Ill-defined problem: may have more than one answer (ex. what career) Allow us to adapt to surroundings, research is based on problem solving and problem solving is associated with behaviour. Gestalt switch: sudden change in how info is organized. Ex. when you look at an ambiguous stimuli can see both faces immediately but suddenly it changes into the other. Not slow and graded like in math. Insight problem: problem where you must look at it from a different angle before being able to solve it. Gives you all the info you need to solve it but have to restructure the problem. Insight: ability to understand how parts of a situation are related to each other by perceptually restructuring the problem. Occurs simultaneously and suddenly all or nothing event.