Problem solving forms part of thinking. Considered the most complex of all intellectual functions, problem solving has been defined as higher-order cognitive process that requires the modulation and control of more routine or fundamental skills (McCarthy & Worthington, 1990). It occurs if an organism or an artificial intelligence system does not know how to proceed from a given state to a desired goal state. It is part of the larger problem process that includes problem finding and problem shaping.

Overview

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The nature of human problem solving has been studied by psychologists over the past hundred years. There are several methods of studying problem solving, including; introspection, behaviorism, simulation and computer modeling, and experimental methods.

Beginning with the early experimental work of the Gestaltists in Germany (e.g. Duncker, 1935), and continuing through the 1960s and early 1970s, research on problem solving typically conducted relatively simple, laboratory tasks (e.g. Duncker's "X-ray" problem; Ewert & Lambert's 1932 "disk" problem, later known as Tower of Hanoi) that appeared novel to participants (e.g. Mayer, 1992). Various reasons account for the choice of simple novel tasks: they had clearly defined optimal solutions, they were solvable within a relatively short time frame, researchers could trace participants' problem-solving steps, and so on. The researchers made the underlying assumption, of course, that simple tasks such as the Tower of Hanoi captured the main properties of "real world" problems, and that the cognitive processes underlying participants' attempts to solve simple problems were representative of the processes engaged in when solving "real world" problems. Thus researchers used simple problems for reasons of convenience, and thought generalizations to more complex problems would become possible. Perhaps the best-known and most impressive example of this line of research remains the work by Newell and Simon (1972).

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Any #android GPS location programming experts out there? I need help solving this problem: http://tinyurl.com/yzrofne
doughy (Joey Wilson) Sun, 03 Jan 2010 01:24:46 -0000
Any #android GPS location programming experts out there? I need help solving this problem: http://tinyurl.com/yzrofne
RT @JoanneSpain NEW POST: Transcend & Include: enhance problem solving frameworks, conversations & analogies. http://bit.ly/83hm5l #bothand
JoanneSpain (Joanne Spain) Sun, 03 Jan 2010 01:19:44 -0000
RT @JoanneSpain NEW POST: Transcend & Include: enhance problem solving frameworks, conversations & analogies. http://bit.ly/83hm5l #bothand
@thePISTOL i've got another problem that i need solving...when are you going to see? for real.
BethanyHopeee (Bethany Gilchrist) Sun, 03 Jan 2010 01:13:53 -0000
@thePISTOL i've got another problem that i need solving...when are you going to see? for real.
Solving part of the long range bomber problem - The with the coming near flat DOD procurement budgets and procureme... http://ow.ly/16fUh7
E_L_P (Eric Palmer) Sun, 03 Jan 2010 01:10:22 -0000
Solving part of the long range bomber problem - The with the coming near flat DOD procurement budgets and procureme... http://ow.ly/16fUh7
All critical thinking/problem-solving teacher resources are on sale http://www.oblockbooks.com/shoppingcart/html/pages/readingsale.htm#art
oblockbooks (O'Block Books) Sun, 03 Jan 2010 00:49:46 -0000
All critical thinking/problem-solving teacher resources are on sale http://www.oblockbooks.com/shoppingcart/html/pages/readingsale.htm#art
@JenAnsbach We've done a little multi step problem solving and they hate it and act like they can't do anything without me. We're working on
misscalcul8 (Elissa Miller) Sun, 03 Jan 2010 00:41:06 -0000
@JenAnsbach We've done a little multi step problem solving and they hate it and act like they can't do anything without me. We're working on

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