Trial and error versus "insightful" problem solving: Effects of distraction, additional response alternatives, and longer response chains.

1968 ◽  
Vol 76 (3, Pt.1) ◽  
pp. 337-340 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gary A. Davis ◽  
Alice J. Train ◽  
Mary E. Manske
Keyword(s):  
Problem Solving ◽  
Trial And Error ◽  
Response Alternatives ◽  
Response Chains ◽  
Insightful Problem

An Experiment in Problem Solving

1951 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. 184-197 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. W. Whitfield
Keyword(s):  
Problem Solving ◽  
Experimental Work ◽  
Human Subjects ◽  
Qualitative Difference ◽  
Trial And Error ◽  
Qualitative Nature ◽  
The Individual

Trial-and-error problems are described in terms of “stimulus” difficulty, which is a measure of the number of possible modes of response left to the individual when all the information given is taken into account; and “phenomenal” difficulty, which is a measure derived from the individual's performance. An experiment is described in which three types of problem were presented to human subjects. In all three problems the stimulus difficulty was calculable, stage by stage, in the solution. The problems differed in this stimulus difficulty and also in the qualitative nature of the information provided—from unequivocal to conditional. It is shown that the qualitative difference of the nature of the information bears most relationship to phenomenal difficulty. Some observations are made on the modes of solution adopted, and further experimental work is suggested.

Math and Mr. Men

2017 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 82-83
Author(s):  
James Russo ◽  
Toby Russo
Keyword(s):  
Problem Solving ◽  
Mathematical Tasks ◽  
Acting Out ◽  
Trial And Error ◽  
Problem Solving Strategies ◽  
Concrete Materials

Read a Mr. Men story with your students, and tackle the associated mathematical tasks. Success with these tasks requires children to draw on a variety of problem-solving strategies, including drawing diagrams and pictures, creating tables, trial-and-error strategies (guess and check), modeling problems with concrete materials, and possibly even acting out the problems. Have fun!

Promoting Insightful Problem Solving

2000 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 30-60 ◽  
Author(s):  
PAMELA I. ANSBURG ◽  
ROGER I. DOMINOWSKI
Keyword(s):  
Problem Solving ◽  
Insightful Problem

scholarly journals Raising the level: orangutans use water as a tool

2007 ◽  
Vol 3 (5) ◽  
pp. 453-455 ◽  
Author(s):  
Natacha Mendes ◽  
Daniel Hanus ◽  
Josep Call
Keyword(s):  
Problem Solving ◽  
Successful Strategy ◽  
Pongo Abelii ◽  
Additional Control ◽  
Mere Presence ◽  
Transparent Tube ◽  
Insightful Problem

We investigated the use of water as a tool by presenting five orangutans ( Pongo abelii ) with an out-of-reach peanut floating inside a vertical transparent tube. All orangutans collected water from a drinker and spat it inside the tube to get access to the peanut. Subjects required an average of three mouthfuls of water to get the peanut. This solution occurred in the first trial and all subjects continued using this successful strategy in subsequent trials. The latency to retrieve the reward drastically decreased after the first trial. Moreover, the latency between mouthfuls also decreased dramatically from the first mouthful in the first trial to any subsequent ones in the same trial or subsequent trials. Additional control conditions suggested that this response was not due to the mere presence of the tube, to the existence of water inside, or frustration at not getting the reward. The sudden acquisition of the behaviour, the timing of the actions and the differences with the control conditions make this behaviour a likely candidate for insightful problem solving.

Is creative insight task-specific? A coordinate-based meta-analysis of neuroimaging studies on insightful problem solving

2016 ◽  
Vol 110 ◽  
pp. 81-90 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wangbing Shen ◽  
Yuan Yuan ◽  
Chang Liu ◽  
Xiaojiang Zhang ◽  
Jing Luo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Problem Solving ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Creative Insight ◽  
Insightful Problem

scholarly journals Insightful Problem Solving in an Asian Elephant

PLoS ONE ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 6 (8) ◽  
pp. e23251 ◽  
Author(s):  
Preston Foerder ◽  
Marie Galloway ◽  
Tony Barthel ◽  
Donald E. Moore ◽  
Diana Reiss
Keyword(s):  
Problem Solving ◽  
Asian Elephant ◽  
Insightful Problem

Observational learning in the large-billed crow (Corvus macrorhynchos)

2011 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 281-303 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ei-Ichi Izawa ◽  
Shigeru Watanabe
Keyword(s):  
Problem Solving ◽  
Observational Learning ◽  
Cognitive Abilities ◽  
Trial And Error ◽  
Imitative Learning ◽  
Subsequent Test ◽  
Corvus Macrorhynchos ◽  
Alternative Techniques ◽  
Learn Problem ◽  
Matching Techniques

Exploiting the skills of others enables individuals to reduce the risks and costs of resource innovation. Social corvids are known to possess sophisticated social and physical cognitive abilities. However, their capacity for imitative learning and its inter-individual transmission pattern remains mostly unexamined. Here we demonstrate the large-billed crows' ability to learn problem-solving techniques by observation and the dominance-dependent pattern in which this technique is transmitted. Crows were allowed to observe one of two box-opening behaviours performed by a dominant or subordinate demonstrator and then tested regarding action and technique. The observers successfully opened the box on their first attempts by using non-matching actions but matching techniques to those observed, suggesting emulation. In the subsequent test sessions, dominant observers (i.e. those dominant to the bird acting as demonstrator) consistently used the learned technique, whereas subordinates (i.e. those subordinate to the bird acting as demonstrator) learned alternative techniques by explorative trial and error. Our findings demonstrate crows' capacity to learn by observing behaviours and the effect of dominance on transmission patterns of behavioural skills. Keywords: social learning; imitation; emulation; affordance; culture; innovation

If we could talk to the animals

2008 ◽  
Vol 31 (2) ◽  
pp. 146-147 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Siegal ◽  
Rosemary Varley
Keyword(s):  
Problem Solving ◽  
Formal Reasoning ◽  
Reasoning Tasks ◽  
Insightful Problem

AbstractThe thesis of discontinuity between humans and nonhumans requires evidence from formal reasoning tasks that rules out solutions based on associative strategies. However, insightful problem solving can be often credited through talking to humans, but not to nonhumans. We note the paradox of assuming that reasoning is orthogonal to language and enculturation while employing the criterion of using language to compare what humans and nonhumans know.

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