PSYC 221 Lecture Notes - Lecture 18: Problem Solving, Decision-Making
4 Aug 2017
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Document Summary
Why is thinking so hard: higher order cognition is built on other aspects of cognition. Perception, memory, language: key aspect is creating knowledge and not just absorbing it, involves largely the frontal lobes of the brain. Similar area to central executive as discussed in memory. Problem solving: is achievement of a goal not currently in our grasp. Cooking a speci c meal, designing a house, getting a good grade, making space travel safer. Goals can be almost anything: you have an initial state and a goal state, and you want to move from the initial state to the goal state. Involves a number of steps, which may not be obvious. Tower of hanoi problem is a good example. Like math, physics, chess: or ill-de ned. Can be solved by following a particular set of rules that lead to the answer. Happens quite often in well-de ned problems: insight. No discernible path to solving the problem.
