PSYC2013 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Karl Duncker, Problem Solving, Electric Light
27 Dec 2018
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A problem exists if a living organism has a goal but does not know how this goal is to be reached. - karl duncker. Necessary if you want something that is not immediately available, and don"t know how to get it: Well-defined problems : all aspects of the problem are clearly specified, including the initial state or situation, the range of possible moves or strategies and the goal or solution. The goal is well specified because it is clear when it has been reached. Ex: chess - there i sa standard initial state, the rules specify all legitimate rules and the goal is to achieve checkmate. Ex: suppose you set yourself the goal of becoming happier. There are endless strategies you could adopt and it is very hard to know ahead of time which would be most effective. Most everyday problems are ill-defined but psychologists have focused on well-defined problems. Well-defined problems have an optimal strategy for their solution.
