7.3 Problem Solving — Why Your Brain Gets Stuck and How to Break Free | Psychology 2e
After this lesson you will be able to…
- Learn why clearly defining a problem is the essential first step in solving it.
- Explore the trial and error method as a basic problem-solving tool.
- Define algorithms as step-by-step formulas guaranteeing a desired outcome.
- Understand heuristics as mental shortcuts designed to save time and cognitive energy.
- Identify five environmental conditions that trigger the brain to use mental shortcuts.
- Learn how to solve complex problems by starting with the end result and planning backward.
- Discover how to manage overwhelming tasks by splitting them into smaller, manageable subtasks.
- Understand how the brain builds new connections through complex problem-solving.
- Learn about mental set, a cognitive trap where past successful strategies are applied to new, failing situations.
- Identify functional fixedness as a bias preventing objects from being seen beyond their intended use.
- Understand how fixating on initial information can skew subsequent decisions.
- Learn about the tendency to seek out information that confirms existing beliefs while ignoring contradictory evidence.
- Recognize how stereotypes and superficial traits can lead to faulty judgments about people or events.
- Learn how decisions are influenced by easily recalled, vivid memories, regardless of statistical probability.
- Understand the 'I knew it all along' phenomenon, where unpredictable events are perceived as predictable after they occur.
- Ponder the potential for AI to diminish human problem-solving skills by outsourcing daily decisions.
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(0)This lesson dives into the architecture of human problem solving, covering the strategies your brain uses every day — from trial and error and algorit...
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Quiz: Human Problem-Solving Strategies and Cognitive Biases
FundamentalsAnswer each question based only on what was covered in the video lesson on Section 7.3 of Psychology 2e. No outside knowledge is needed — all answers can be found in the video.
Practice: Problem-Solving Strategies and Cognitive Biases
PracticeAnswer each question using what you learned from the video lesson on Section 7.3 of Psychology 2e. Questions progress from recall and understanding to application and analysis.