1. Psychology lecture thinking and decision making
Interactive lecture 7
Dr Jolanta Babiak
Winter semester 2017/2018

2. thinking and problem solving
Cognitive Psychology
Human intelligence
Language
thinking and problem solving
memory
attention
perception

3. Thinking, reasoning and problem solving
Thinking is a mental process embracing understanding, processing and communicating information
Thinking involves mental attending to information, creating its mental representation, reasoning, and making judgements and decisions
Thinking is a conscious process directed at making sense out of things, events, occurrences

4. Basic components of thoughts: concepts and prototypes
Concepts are mental categories that have the same characteristics and are used to group objects in particular classes of tasks, relations, qualities
A category is formed when two or more objects are treated equivalently
Concepts are organized in hierarchy: e.g. clocks – hand watches, pocket watches, wall clocks, etc.; watches, barometers, thermometers – general concept of measuring tools
Objects, which best represent key characteristics of a certain category are called prototypes.

5. Different approaches to problem solving
ABABABAB
ABDEBCEF
JDTCPSSO
Have we had AHA moment or were we trying to figure out the pattern of these letter series?
Understanding a problem: focusing on the right information
Understanding a problem: creating its logical mental representation comprising of symbols, concepts e.g. words, math symbols, graphic representations

6. Different approaches to problem solving
Effective understanding of a problem
Separate parts of our mental representation of a problem are linked logically
Separate parts of our mental representation of a problem shall relate to elements that exist in real world.
Our minds stores general knowledge, which may be utilized to solve particular problem
Algorithms
Specific way of problem solving
If applied suitably they allows for correct solution (math rules)
Heuristics
Mental shortcuts that allow to quickly find a solution
This method does not guarantee a solution
Methods and goals analysis: appraising the difference between current situation and desirable situation; when differences get identified we can think of eliminating them
Long term goals: dividing them into short-term objectives

7. Different approaches to problem solving
Analogies
It is a partial similarity between objects that differ in other parts
Heuristics of analogy indicates applying known, successfully utilized solutions to a new problem

8. Factors influencing problem solving
Level of competences
Mental attitudes
Insight (Aha! Moment)
The way a problem is defined
Functional stability of problem elements

9. Competences DNSUO, RCWDO, IASYD
If we are competent in a certain area we will solve relevant problems quicker
Expert skills does not translates into higher intelligence
Profound knowledge of the subject area
Can remember better separate elements of a problem
Quickly form mental representations of a problem and ultimately solution
Utilize known methods to solve problems
Anagrams in native language: parallel thinking; foreign language: serial processing

10. Mental attitude
Mental representation shall correspond to a structure of a problem
If we successfully solve similar problems we tend to use same approach to the new one
Mental attitude is often times helpful but can lead us astray when new problem seems to be identical

11. INSIGHT
Information “hidden” in the problem gets reorganized in our mind and emerges by itself
It comes up unexpectedly, when isolated elements of a problem get organized
Wolfgang Kohler experiment

12. Incubation
When we are faced with a problem sometimes we’re just circling around it
After careful studying the problem, we might abandon it for a while
This might lead us to incubation of an insight
We might temporarily stop thinking about the problem however our mind is still working on it
Result or solution may pop up as revelation
Distancing yourself to a problem may enhance abandoning stable mental attitudes which inhibit getting into a solution

13. Functional stability
Solving problems may be inhibited by functional stability
What function do pliers have? Do we grab things with them, do we use it as a paperweight or is it a weapon
Functional stability is linked with our tendency to perceive objects based on their names and functions
Experiment with a pin, candle, matches, table and a wall

14. Creativity – ability to create novelty and usefulness
Creative people have certain things in common
Take and use the opportunity
They do not perceive limitations as definite, and try to accomplish what is not achievable
Appreciate art and music
Utilize common resources to develop unusual things
Do not follow social norms
They hold unpopular views and opinions
They try new things

15. Creativity
There is nothing new under the sun but there are new combinations of old elements
Creativity as an ability to make distant associations between elements of a problem
Predictable solution is not a creative solution even if its difficult to come up with
Creativity requires divergent thinking – loosely organized associations may lead to solution
Divergent thinking - ideas are limited to current facts and one solution is being sought
Effective problem solving may require both types of processing: divergent in the first phase and than convergent to select the most feasible solution

16. Deductive and Inductive Reasoning
Reasoning is a mental process that leads to drawing conclusions
Deductive reasoning: conclusions are always truth if evidence (assumptions) are also true
All people use language
Mary is a person
Mary uses language
Inductive reasoning: we draw general conclusions based on information about specific facts or isolated cases
Inductive reasoning does not allow for absolute conclusions

17. Judgement and decision making
Decisions are being made constantly
We tend to think that people rationally make decisions or make judgements after analyzing pros and cons
In reality people take shortcuts when making judgements because their knowledge and information warehouse is limited
People use heuristics when formulating judgements and solving problems

18. Heuristics Availability heuristic
Basing judgement that is readily available in memory
The availability of mood-congruent memories predicts judgements about the future
E.g. information readily available in the news or in our memory make us adhere to that information when making judgements
Representativeness heuristics
If something has the characteristics considered typical of members of the category it is a member if this category; e.g. playing dice
Anchoring heuristic – information processed as first e.g. first judgement has people show strong tendency to be influenced by an anchor even if it has no use
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