Problem Solving Heuristics Rule of Thumb Quick, Easy, Usually Accurate Not systematic, not step by step Can lead to bias or inaccurate problem solving. Heuristics In the English language, does the letter K appear more frequently as the first letter or third letter of more words? Availability (available examples) Is the population of Brazil more or less than 50,000,000? Anchoring/Adjustment Who is more likely to be short, slim, and likes to read poetry? Truck Driver Ivy League professor of classics. Representativeness (stereotypes) Algorithm Can be time consuming Step by Step, Systematic Guarantees an accurate solution Brown Skirt Obstacles to Problem Solving Confirmation Bias: Eagerness to search for information that confirms our ideas. We seek evidence verifying our ideas more eagerly than we seek evidence that might refute them Guess the rule used to devise the series. Generate your own set of 3 numbers that conform to my rule. I will tell you if it conforms or not. Fixation Fixation: The inability to see a problem from a new perspective, an impediment to solving a problem. Using these materials how would you mount the candle to a bulletin board? Still Fixated on Fixation Mental Set: Predisposes how we think. We tend to approach problems in ways that have worked for us previously. O-T-T-F-__-__-__ J-F-M-A-__-__-__-__-__-__-__-__ J-F-M-A-M-J-J-A-S-O-N-D Functional Fixedness: Our tendency to think of only the familiar functions for objects, without imagining alternative uses. (Apollo 13 Clip)