Deck 11: Problem Solving and Creativity

Question 1

John does not realize that his girlfriend,Mary,is unhappy about their relationship and wants to break up.To address this situation,John first and foremost (before anything else)needs to __________ the problem.

A)define
B)formulate a strategy to deal with
C)identify the existence of
D)evaluate

Answer 1

identify the existence of

Question 2

Steve realizes he and his girlfriend Cathy are not getting along well.Steve thinks that the reason why his girlfriend is unhappy with their relationship is because he spends too much time with his buddies.Yet,according to Cathy,this is not the reason at all.According to Cathy,Steve has failed to __________ the problem correctly.

A)define
B)formulate a strategy to deal with
C)monitor
D)evaluate

Answer 2

define

Question 3

After researching a topic for a term paper,Sam needs to organize all the information and put it together into a coherent paper.The problem-solving strategy primarily involved in this task is

A)analysis.
B)synthesis.
C)divergent thinking.
D)convergent thinking.

Answer 3

synthesis.

Question 4

After being admitted by several colleges,Michael needs to decide which college to attend.The problem-solving strategy primarily involved in this task is

A)divergent thinking.
B)convergent thinking.
C)synthesis.
D)autonomy.

Question 5

Which of the following is not a type of error typically made when solving well-structured problems?

A)repeating the same step
B)accidentally going backward
C)getting stuck
D)making illegal moves

Question 6

"How do you find the area of a triangle?" is an example of a(n)__________ problem.

A)positive transfer
B)transparent
C)well-structured
D)isomorphic

Question 7

Cathy has three exams and two papers coming up,and she needs to decide how much time to spend on each project to maximize her chances of doing well on all of them.The problem-solving step primarily associated with this task is

A)problem definition.
B)problem identification.
C)organization of information.
D)resource allocation.

Question 8

After researching a topic for a term paper,you go over all of your notes and decide on an outline for organizing your ideas as well as the order in which you will address them in your paper.The problem-solving step primarily associated with this task is

A)problem definition.
B)problem identification.
C)organization of information.
D)resource allocation.

Question 9

This part of the problem-solving cycle involves periodically assessing to what extent you are getting closer to the goal.In other words,individuals who are effective problem-solvers will check their performance along the way to decide if they should continue or change their approach.

A)strategy formulation
B)problem definition
C)monitoring
D)evaluation

Question 10

This part of the problem-solving cycle occurs once you have arrived at a solution you then assess the quality of your solution.

A)strategy formulation
B)problem definition
C)monitoring
D)evaluation

Question 11

__________ refers to the process of integrating various elements into a more complex whole.

A)Automaticity
B)Positive transfer
C)Analysis
D)Synthesis

Question 12

Pat just found out that she must give a class presentation in 10 days.To this end,Pat breaks down the task of preparing for her presentation into specific,manageable steps she must take to do a good job.This problem-solving strategy primarily involves

A)analysis.
B)synthesis.
C)divergent thinking.
D)convergent thinking.

Question 13

_____ is (are)a particular approach to problem solving which suggests the following steps: problem identification,problem definition,strategy formulation,organization of information,allocation of resources,monitoring,and evaluation.

A)Problem solving cycle
B)Well-structured problems
C)Ill-structured problems
D)Entrenchment

Question 14

__________ refers to thought processes involving the production of various alternatives.

A)Divergent thinking
B)Convergent thinking
C)Insight
D)Incubation

Question 15

Jamie is a bright college student who wants to work with people in the medical field.To this end,she is considering a diverse assortment of possible alternative ways to achieve her goal,including becoming a medical doctor,nurse,or physician's assistant.The problem-solving strategy primarily involved in this task is

A)analysis.
B)synthesis.
C)divergent thinking.
D)convergent thinking.

Question 16

__________ refers to the process of breaking down a complex whole into smaller elements.

A)Automaticity
B)Positive transfer
C)Analysis
D)Synthesis

Question 17

__________ refers to a set of processes for which the goal is to overcome obstacles obstructing the path to a solution.

A)Convergent thinking
B)Problem solving
C)Creativity
D)Productive thinking

Question 18

__________ refers to thought processes during which the person selectively narrows down multiple alternatives until reaching a single,optimal alternative.

A)Divergent thinking
B)Convergent thinking
C)Insight
D)Incubation

Question 19

Richard does not realize that his drinking is interfering with his daily activities and is becoming a problem.To address this problem,Richard first and foremost (before anything else)needs to __________ the problem.

A)define
B)formulate a strategy to deal with
C)identify the existence of
D)evaluate

Question 20

__________ problems have a well-defined path to solution.

A)Positive transfer
B)Transparent
C)Well-structured
D)Heuristic

Question 21

This view of insight suggests that there is something special about insight.Support for this view is that problem-solvers show poor ability in predicting success until just prior to solving the problem.Thus,problem-solvers for insight problems lack an incremental increase in terms of predicting success of finding a solution.

A)The Neo-Gestaltist view
B)The nothing-special view
C)The three-process view
D)The normal-to-special process view

Question 22

__________ refers to the inability to see that something that is known to have a particular use may also be used for performing other functions.

A)Functional inhibition
B)Divergent thinking
C)Introceptive thinking
D)Functional fixedness

Question 23

__________ generally involve successive,somewhat mechanical iterations of a particular strategy until an answer (usually,the correct solution)is reached.

A)Algorithms
B)Heuristics
C)Isomorphic problems
D)Global planning strategies

Question 24

__________ refers to a seemingly sudden understanding of the nature of something,often as a result of taking a novel approach to the problem.

A)Insight
B)Creativity
C)Incubation
D)Deduction

Question 25

__________ refers to a cognitive phenomenon in which a person is predisposed to use an existing model for representing information,even when the existing model inadequately represents the information in a new situation.

A)Heuristic facilitation
B)Mental set
C)Algorithm fixedness
D)Stationary thinking

Question 26

Which of the following is true regarding isomorphic problems?

A)It is easy for children to identify similarities between them.
B)Identifying underlying similarities is more difficult when content greatly differs.
C)It is easy for adults to identify similarities between them.
D)Identifying the underlying features is easy;solving the problems is difficult.

Question 27

Max Wertheimer and Wolfgang Köhler were two respected ___________ psychologists who made important contributions in the area of insightful thinking.

A)psychometric
B)information processing
C)Gestalt
D)structural

Question 28

__________ refers to thought processes that involve novel insights that go beyond the bounds of existing associations.

A)Convergent thinking
B)Positive transfer
C)Reproductive thinking
D)Productive thinking

Question 29

The __________ refers to the universe of all possible actions that can be applied to solve a problem.

A)action space
B)problem space
C)action universe
D)solution universe

Question 30

This is a particular type of mental set when one believes that members of a particular social group tend to have similar characteristics.

A)functional fixedness
B)stereotypes
C)negative transfer
D)convergent thinking

Question 31

This type of thinking is when the person is working with associations that are already known and this type of thinking is not associated with insight problems.

A)reproductive thinking
B)productive thinking
C)convergent thinking
D)divergent thinking

Question 32

This iterative method of problem solving involves reducing the difference between your current state and your goal state.

A)global planning
B)fluid intelligence
C)means-ends analysis
D)componential analysis

Question 33

__________ problems refer to problems with no clear,readily available path to solution.

A)Positive transfer
B)Negative transfer
C)Ill-structured
D)Isomorphic

Question 34

When problem-solvers __________,they fixate on a strategy that normally works in solving many problems,but that does not work in solving a particular problem of interest.

A)have an entrenched mental set
B)have an unentrenched mental set
C)experience heuristic facilitation
D)experience algorithmic fixedness

Question 35

Becoming free of __________ is what first allowed people to use a reshaped coat hanger to get into a locked car,and it is what first allowed thieves to pick simple spring door locks with a credit card.

A)functional inhibition
B)divergent thinking
C)introceptive thinking
D)functional fixedness

Question 36

Neuropsychological studies have demonstrated that activation in the right anterior temporal area is related to insight.Which of the following statements best describes that relationship?

A)Increased activity is associated with insight but not with other types of problem solving.
B)Decreased activity in this area predicts occurrence of insight in participants.
C)Baseline activity in this area predicts success at solving insight problems.
D)Increased activity in this area immediately precedes insight in participants.

Question 37

__________ problems have the same formal structure and differ only in their content.

A)Acontextual
B)Structural
C)Isoformic
D)Isomorphic

Question 38

According to __________ psychologists,insight problems require problem solvers to perceive the problem as a whole,which differs from perceiving the problem as a collection of its parts.

A)Gestalt
B)information processing
C)structural
D)behavioral

Question 39

fMRI studies have revealed increased activity in ___________ when a person experiences insight.

A)Brodmann's areas
B)Dorsilateral prefrontal cortex
C)Right anterior superior-temporal gyrus
D)Occipital lobe

Question 40

__________ refer(s)to informal,intuitive,speculative strategies for solving problems,which sometimes work and sometimes do not.

A)Incubation
B)Creativity
C)Insight
D)Heuristics

Question 41

Studies show that expert problem-solvers tend to devote __________ of their mental resources to global planning than do novice problem solvers.

A)less
B)more
C)the same
D)a differing amount (depending on the type of problem)

Question 42

__________ refers to the tendency to believe that problem situations with similar contexts or content also have analogous formal structures or solution paths.

A)Transparency
B)Isomorphic inhibition
C)Negative transfer
D)Heuristic fixedness

Question 43

__________ refers to a period of rest,following a period of intensive effort in problem solving,during which the problem-solver puts aside the problem for a while,thereby permitting greater mental flexibility so that insights may arise.

A)The insight facilitation stage
B)The proceduralization period
C)The automaticity stage
D)Incubation

Question 44

__________ occurs when solving an earlier problem makes it easier to solve a new problem.

A)Divergent thinking
B)Functional fixedness
C)Negative transfer
D)Positive transfer

Question 45

__________ are statements made by problem solvers.The statements can be about the problem itself or the strategy the individual will use to solve the problem.

A)Verbal protocols
B)Musings
C)Think-alouds
D)Cognitive walkthroughs

Question 46

__________ is an aspect of problem solving during which the person encodes the problem and formulates a general strategy for attacking the problem.

A)Fluid planning
B)Crystallized planning
C)Global planning
D)Local planning

Question 47

John,an expert chess player,is playing chess with Mark,a novice player.Late in the game Mark "accidentally" knocks over the board spilling the pieces on the floor.In this situation ______ is more likely to remember the position pieces because ________.

A)Mark;his arousal was higher because he was losing
B)John;he can rely on sophisticated schemas
C)John;he focuses on superficial details during a match
D)John;he is more likely to have "photographic" memory

Question 48

Asking participants to write about a problem or the methods they will use to solve a problem typically has what effect on problem solving?

A)Decreases the likelihood of solving a problem.
B)Slows down problem solving.
C)Improves problem solving ability.
D)Makes the problem-solver anxious.

Question 49

According to Sternberg's research,more intelligent subjects take __________ during encoding and formulation of a general strategy to solve a problem;they also take __________ to form and implement strategies for the details of the task.

A)more time;less time
B)less time;less time
C)less time;more time
D)research is inconclusive

Question 50

__________ refers to a phenomenon whereby repeated experience with a procedure (e.g. ,problem-solving in a particular domain)may lead to enhanced performance,requiring little conscious effort or control.

A)Proceduralized fixedness
B)Facilitation
C)Habituation
D)Automaticity

Question 51

Bertha completed a number of problems for an experiment.Two of the problems she noted had the same underlying structure even though the surface features were different.She was able to adapt the solution for the first problem to the second.This is an example of (a/an)

A)ill-defined problem.
B)well-defined problem.
C)transfer of analogies.
D)transparency.

Question 52

This is the case where an individual is trying to use/apply the structure/solution from one problem on to a new problem.

A)convergent thinking
B)intentional transfer
C)functional fixedness
D)transparency

Question 53

__________ refers to any carryover of knowledge or skills from one problem situation to another.

A)Transfer
B)Divergent thinking
C)Functional inhibition
D)Functional fixation

Question 54

__________ is an aspect of problem solving during which the person devises and implements detailed tactics.

A)Fluid planning
B)Crystallized planning
C)Global planning
D)Local planning

Question 55

__________ occurs when solving an earlier problem makes it harder to solve a later one.

A)Divergent thinking
B)Functional fixedness
C)Negative transfer
D)Positive transfer

Question 56

Studies show that expert problem-solvers tend to devote more of their mental resources to __________ planning than do novice problem solvers.

A)global
B)local
C)isomorphic
D)heuristic

Question 57

Many studies have investigated the ability to identify similar underlying structures in two problems (e.g. ,the "radiation problem" and "military problem").Which of the following statements is true regarding human ability to identify these similarities?

A)Similarities are easily identified when the problems are in the same context.
B)Individuals spontaneously identify similarities and use them in problem solving.
C)Individuals typically must explicitly look for similarities in order to find them.
D)Similarities are more easily identified when the problems are from different domains.

Question 58

Neuropsychological evidence suggests that this area of the brain is particularly important during the planning phase of problem solving.

A)prefrontal cortex
B)left parietal lobe
C)occipital lobe
D)fusiform gyrus

Question 59

Which of the following has not been identified as a factor contributing to expertise?

A)Tendency to approach problems and tasks systematically.
B)Superior ability to predict outcomes.
C)Early experiences in educational settings.
D)Superior abilities due to genetic heritage.

Question 60

When it comes to writing term papers,Scott takes much longer conducting his research,organizing his notes,and planning his paper than does David.Yet,David requires more time to do the actual writing of the paper than does Scott.From this we can infer that Scott devotes __________ to __________ planning than does David.

A)more time;global
B)less time;global
C)more time;local
D)less time;crystallized

Question 61

How might incubation help in insightful problem-solving?

Question 62

This particular psychometric approach for assessing creativity looks at the ability of the individual to produce a variety of responses.Those who generate more are seen as being more creative.

A)intentional transfer
B)incubation
C)convergent production
D)divergent production

Question 63

__________ refers to the production of something that is both original and worthwhile.

A)Insight
B)Creativity
C)Mental set
D)Fluidity

Question 64

What is the Turing Test and what general question is it intended to answer?

Question 65

Sheer enjoyment of the creative process and personal desire to solve a problem are examples of __________ motivators.

A)intrinsic
B)extrinsic
C)global
D)local

Question 66

According to Howard Gardner,creative individuals tend to have early family lives that are

A)rather strict but moderately supportive.
B)permissive but not supportive.
C)permissive and highly supportive.
D)rather strict and not supportive.

Question 67

Early information-processing research centered on computer simulations of human intelligence as well as computer systems that use optimal methods to solve tasks.These types of programs are examples of

A)informational systems analysis.
B)artificial intelligence.
C)psychometric modeling.
D)computational intelligence.

Question 68

Define well-structured and ill-structured problems.

Question 69

___ are a type of AI computer program that simulate the reasoning of competent individuals in a particular area of specialty (use if-then rules to capture this knowledge).

A)Expert systems
B)Case-based reasoning
C)General Problem Solver (GPS)
D)Emergent Intelligence Program

Question 70

Some researchers argue that __________ motivators are essential to creativity and that __________ motivators may actually impede creativity under some circumstances.

A)global;local
B)local;global
C)extrinsic;intrinsic
D)intrinsic;extrinsic

Question 71

Which of the following is true regarding the neuroscience of creativity?

A)Prefrontal activity is unrelated to creative processes or thinking.
B)Thinning of the left frontal lobe is correlated with high creativity scores.
C)Suppression of Brodmann's area 39 is correlated with greater creativity.
D)Thickening of the right angular gyrus is associated with lower creativity.

Question 72

According to Sternberg and Lubart's investment theory of creativity,creative individuals

A)always take big risks.
B)never take big risks.
C)buy high and sell low in the world of ideas.
D)buy low and sell high in the world of ideas.

Question 73

During her studies,Mallory stumbles across an idea that many people in her discipline have ignored because they do not see the value in it.Mallory,in contrast,sees the hidden potential in that idea and develops its potential.This process typifies the

A)investment theory of creativity.
B)selective-combination of insights.
C)productive nature of creativity.
D)recursive nature of creativity.

Question 74

This theory suggests that both individual factors as well as environmental factors need to converge in order for creativity to occur.A creative individual,then,often finds undervalued ideas,develops them,and then moves on after others recognize the value of the idea.

A)well-structured problems
B)productive theory
C)selective-combination insights
D)investment theory of creativity

Question 75

Which of the following characteristics has not been associated with highly creative individuals?

A)openness to new experiences
B)low hostile towards others
C)expertise in a specific area
D)high in self-acceptance

Question 76

This proposed method of determining if a computer program is intelligent is if it passes the ____.The AI program passes if an individual has a difficult time distinguishing between the performance ("conversation")of a human from that of a computer.

A)Intuition Test
B)Chatterbot Test
C)Turing Test
D)MYCIN Test

Question 77

This specific test for creativity looks at a number of different measures including "diversity,numerosity,and appropriateness of responses to open-ended questions" (e.g. ,think of all the possible way you can use your shoelaces).

A)Creative Aptitude Test (CAT)
B)Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking
C)Generative Test of Creativity
D)Multiple Measures Test of Creativity

Question 78

Desire for fame or fortune is an example of a(n)__________ motivator.

A)intrinsic
B)extrinsic
C)global
D)local

Question 79

What is functional fixedness?

Question 80

Explain isomorphic problems.Include what research suggests concerning people's ability to deal with these types of problems.