Myers EXPLORING PSYCHOLOGY (6th Edition in Modules)ThinkingSlide 3Slide 4Slide 5Slide 6Slide 7The Matchstick ProblemThe Three-Jugs ProblemThe Candle-Mounting ProblemSlide 11Slide 12The Three-Jugs ProblemSlide 14HeuristicsSlide 16Slide 17Slide 18Slide 19Myers EXPLORING PSYCHOLOGY (6th Edition in Modules)Module 23ThinkingJames A. McCubbin, PhDClemson UniversityWorth PublishersThinkingCognitionmental activities associated with thinking, knowing, remembering, and communicating Cognitive Psychologistsstudy these mental activitiesconcept formationproblem solvingdecision makingjudgment formationThinkingConcept mental grouping of similar objects, events, ideas, or peoplePrototypemental image or best example of a categorymatching new items to the prototype provides a quick and easy method for including items in a category (as when comparing feathered creatures to a prototypical bird, such as a robin)ThinkingAlgorithmmethodical, logical rule or procedure that guarantees solving a particular problemcontrasts with the usually speedier–but also more error-prone--use of heuristicsThinkingHeuristicsimple thinking strategy that often allows us to make judgments and solve problems efficientlyusually speedier than algorithms more error-prone than algorithmsThinkingUnscrambleS P L O Y O C H Y GAlgorithmall 907,208 combinationsHeuristicthrow out all YY combinationsother heuristics?ThinkingInsightsudden and often novel realization of the solution to a problemcontrasts with strategy-based solutionsConfirmation Biastendency to search for information that confirms one’s preconceptionsFixationinability to see a problem from a new perspectiveimpediment to problem solvingThe Matchstick ProblemHow would you arrange six matches to form four equilateral triangles?The Three-Jugs Problem Using jugs A, B, and C, with the capacities shown, how would you measure out the volumes indicated?The Candle-Mounting ProblemUsing these materials, how would you mount the candle on a bulletin board?ThinkingFunctional Fixednesstendency to think of things only in terms of their usual functionsimpediment to problem solvingThe Matchstick ProblemSolution to the matchstick problemThe Three-Jugs Problem Solution: a) All seven problems can be solved by the equation shown in (a): B - A - 2C = desired volume. b) But simpler solutions exist for problems 6 and 7, such as A - C for problem 6.The Candle-Mounting ProblemSolving this problem requires recognizing that a box need not always serve as a containerHeuristicsRepresentativeness Heuristicjudging the likelihood of things in terms of how well they seem to represent, or match, particular prototypesmay lead one to ignore other relevant informationHeuristicsAvailability Heuristicestimating the likelihood of events based on their availability in memoryif instances come readily to mind (perhaps because of their vividness), we presume such events are commonExample: airplane crashThinkingOverconfidencetendency to be more confident than correct tendency to overestimate the accuracy of one’s beliefs and judgmentsThinkingFramingthe way an issue is posedhow an issue is framed can significantly affect decisions and judgmentsExample: What is the best way to market ground beef--as 25% fat or 75% lean?ThinkingBelief Perseveranceclinging to one’s initial conceptions after the basis on which they were formed has been
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