Introduction
Paper or plastic. Stable government bonds or risky international stocks. The appropriate statistical test to measure the spread of the influenza virus through a neighborhood.
Popular science writer Jonah Lehrer has described life as "a series of choices." One might argue that many of the moments composing a human life consist of acts of problem solving and decision making. The examples above illustrate just a few of the types of problem solving and decision making a person might encounter. Researchers have long examined the systems and brain functions that influence both processes.
This week, you study some recent findings in these areas. You also consider potential obstacles to problem solving and decision making, and ways to overcome these.
Objectives
- Analyze barriers to problem solving
- Analyze steps to overcome barriers to problem solving
- Analyze strategies to enhance problem-solving skills
- Analyze impediments to decision making
Consider the following scenario: You are trying to complete a difficult assignment, and you become "stuck" on a specific problem, question, or detail. You are tired, hungry, and frustrated and have difficulty coming to a resolution. Eventually, you give up or take a break and move on to another activity.
Later, while you are cooking dinner, jogging down the street, or taking a shower, the answer comes. Out of thin air, you have solved a problem that you had stopped thinking about. How might this phenomenon be possible?
For this Discussion, you consider barriers to problem solving. You also explain how one might overcome such barriers.
With these thoughts in mind:
Post by Day 3 a brief description of two examples when you encountered barriers to problem solving. Then explain the steps you took to overcome the barriers in each example. Finally, explain strategies to enhance problem-solving skills. Support your response with references to the Learning Resources and current literature.
I have to use information from at least one or two of these articles
References:
Lehrer, J. (Narrator). (2008, November 17). Choice. In Wheeler, S. (Producer), Radiolab. New York, NY: WNYC.
- Bonner, B. L. (2004). Expertise in group problem solving: Recognition, social combination, and performance. Group Dynamics: Theory, Research, and Practice, 8(4), 277-290.
- Burns, K., &Bechara, A. (2007). Decision making and free will: A neuroscience perspective. Behavioral Sciences & the Law, 25(2), 263-80.
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- Johansson, P., Hall, L., Silkstrom S., & Olsson, A. (2005). Failure to detect mismatches between intention and outcome in a simple decision task. Science, 310(5745), 116-119.
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- Osman, M. (2008). Positive transfer and negative transfer/antilearning of problem-solving skills. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 137(1), 97-115.
- Sanfey, A. G., Loewenstein, G., McClure, S. M., & Cohen, J. D. (2006). Neuroeconomics: Cross-currents in research on decision-making. Trends in Cognitive Science,10(3), 108-116.
- Sio, U. N., &Ormerod, T. C. (2009). Does incubation enhance problem solving? A meta-analytic review. Psychological Bulletin,135(1), 94-120.
- Weber, E. U., & Johnson, E. J. (2009). Mindful judgment and decision making. Annual Review of Psychology,60, 53-85