Thinking, Reasoning, and Problem Solving

Reading Questions for Class #2 (Problem Solving)

Newell (1985). Duncker on Thinking

This chapter reviews the work of one of the founders of problem solving research and compares it to more modern (circa 1985) advances.

1. Why is Duncker so important to the study of problem solving? What big discoveries did he make? Why was it important that he was a Gestalt psychologist?
2. What problem solving techniques or heuristics did Duncker identify? What's the difference between organic and mechanical solution strategies? Working forward vs. working backward?
3. What advances has "modern" cognitive psychology (like General Problem Solver-- GPS) made over Duncker?
4. Why did functional fixedness (Duncker's hottest topic) fade away after the cognitive revolution?
   
   

Blessing & Ross (1996). Content effects in problem categorization and problem solving

This paper in an example of a recent experimental work on problem solving.

1. How does problem content affect problem solving in experts and novices, and what does that say about problem representation?
2. What is the most surprising or interesting result from the reported experiments, and why is it important?
3. What implications does this paper have for domain other than algebra problems?
   
   

Bassok (1997). Object-based reasoning

This chapter reviews work on content effect in problem solving by Bassok-- one of the more current and prolific researchers in this area.

1. According to Bassok, how does problem content affect solutions and transfer? And how is this content effect different from what previous researchers proposed?
2. What does Bassok mean by "processing replacement"? What's the evidence for it, and why is it important for an understanding of problem solving?