Psy 416: Reasoning and
Problem Solving
Erwin Segal
Spring 2003
Study questions for final exam.
1.
It has been
argued that the way that one understands a passage in discourse is to extract
the propositional meaning found in each sentence and then to tie the successive
sentences together by certain formal processes. Discuss this claim in lieu of
schema type theories such as those of Bartlett and Bransford.
[8]
2.
Outline from an
information processing perspective (i.e., identify the steps of an effective
procedure or algorithm) what a child must know in order to solve a conservation
task (e.g. Conservation of number, substance, or quantity).
[6,10]
3.
What role might a
diagram play in solving a physics problem? [13, 16, Anzai,
Hutchins, Ceci]
4.
What is Piaget's
concept of decalage? Discuss the potential importance of the occurrence of
decalage in a discussion of whether cognitive development is domain general or
domain specific. [10,8]
5.
Discuss the claim
that children are universal novices. How could such a claim include the data
that children's thinking may in general be very different from that of adults?. [10,13]
6.
Using Vygotsky
and his concept of the Zone of Proximal Development, discuss how teaching and
culture might play a significant role in the development of thinking and
reasoning processes? [10,13,16]
7.
Evaluate the
proposition that all categories that we know and use are well defined. That is,
we identify something as a member of a category if and only if it has the set
of properties specified in the definition. [9]
8.
Thesis: The
everyday concept of intelligence is a single unidimensional trait that
different people have to a greater or lesser degree. Argue for or against this
claim.[11,16, Sternberg]
9.
If it is
solvable, there are many different procedures by which a problem may be solved.
Many of these procedures, when properly carried out give identical results. How
can this be? Explain why there are many algorithms and heuristics that could be
used to get the correct answer to any problem. [6,8,15,16, Wertheimer,
Hutchins, Ceci]
10.
Thesis: Although
some procedures for solving a problem may be preferred over others, there is no
one best procedure. Discuss. [6,8,16]
11.
There is a large
industry based on teaching people to think and teaching people to think
creatively. Some people think that such an industry has major problems. Discuss
some of the issues involved. [12,8]
12.
Edwin Hutchins
has argued that the information processing properties of the individual is not
enough to explain skilled behavior; rather one needs to consider the "socio-technical
system" as the unit to be studied. How might thinking and performance
be dependent upon the situation? [16, Hutchins, Ceci]
13.
Robert Sternberg
holds a view of intelligent behavior that it is based on a combination of specific
cognitive components which may operate at different levels of a task. Discuss
some possible components in solving an analogy problem or another problem of
your choosing. [11, Sternberg]
14.
In Robert
Sternberg's triarchic theory of intelligence, what are some functions of the
metacomponents? [11, Sternberg]
15.
What is
Weisberg's view that creativity is based on continuity in thinking? What
factors in addition to continuity may be involved in creative thought? [12,
Weisberg]
16.
According to
Mayer, after 60 years of research there is no convincing evidence that global
creative skills can be learned in context free environments. Discuss this
result in lieu of what you have learned in this
class.[8,12,13,16]
17.
What is
brainstorming? Critique brainstorming as a method to find creative solutions to
problems? [12]
18.
What are the
differences between novices and experts in chess in recalling chessboards? How
might you account for these differences? [13,12,16]
19.
George Miller has
stated that a dictionary definition is not usually a good way to learn the
meaning of a word. The best way to learn a word is in context. Why is that?
Specifically, What lies behind understanding the
vocabulary of a conceptual domain? [13,8]
20.
In Siegler's
research
Why are some balance beam problems solvable by older
children and not younger?
Why might performance sometimes get worse on certain problems before it gets
better? [10, 6]
21. Segal argues that people go through Piagetian stage-like experiences as they progress from novice to expert. Cite an example (perhaps from class) that might justify such a claim. [10,13]
22. Describe a schema that might be used to justify using a mathematical formula such as (x+a)2 = x2+2ax+a2 or (1+2+3+…+n-1+n) = n/2(n+1) [or some other formula]. [15]
23. Describe the kind of information one might need in order to solve a mathematical word problem. What might be a workable strategy to achieve a correct answer? [15]
24.
One of the main
points of the Mathematical Problem Solving chapter is that one needs to study mathematical
problems to learn how to do mathematics. Give a psychological justification of
this position.[15]
Vocabulary
1.
Decalage
2.
Algorithm
3.
Valid argument
4.
Truth table
5.
Linear reasoning
6.
Effective procedure
7.
Truth Functional Logic
8.
9.
Piagetian Concrete operational stage
10. Empirical proposition in Logic
11. Means ends analysis
12. Problem solving by "hill climbing"
13. Problem Space
14. Information processing system
15. Gestalt
16. Similarity (or Representativeness)
Heuristic