Problem solving is an essential cognitive process that is included in a greater process alongside problem identifying and problem shaping. There are many different cognitive processes involved in problem solving. They are behaviorism, gestalt psychology, and cognitive psychology.
Behaviorism is a school of psychological thought that focuses on behavior that can be observed. It incorporates aspects of philosophy, methodology, and theory in order to make predictions based on apparent behavior. Behaviorists use methods of habituation, reinforcement, and punishment to condition others (Behaviorism). In the realm of education, behaviorism concentrates on a very specific understanding of learning. Rewarding good habits and punishing bad habits combined with the repetition of preferred actions brings about a change in observable behavior. In terms of problem solving, students are conditioned to seek solutions through positive reinforcement by their teachers. Students do not have control over this process because their teachers are responsible for the actual evaluation of the problem. Behaviorism is about conditioning or programming individuals to solve problems, and does not involve emotions.
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Gestalt psychology has a more holistic approach to the human mind and overall behavior. One of the key concepts is that the human brain has a tendency to organize itself, and furthermore, that humans observe objects as a whole before breaking them down into their individual parts. Gestalt psychology, therefore, assumes that the entirety of an object is greater than its parts. In terms of problem solving, gestalt psychologists make a point to consider the problems as a sum rather than a series. Max Wertheimer, a major gestalt psychologist, said that problem solving happens in two different ways: productive and reproductive. Productive problem solving brings about a somewhat spontaneous solution, while reproductive problem solving uses past experiences to find a solution to a problem (Sternberg).
Cognitive psychologists refer to problem solving as process individuals undergo to identify, examine, and solve problems. Cognitive psychology relies on the complete understanding of a problem in order to find a solution. If one’s understanding of a problem is lacking in some way, the solution will be faulty. The first steps are perceiving a problem, expressing it in the mind, considering important information that may be applicable to the problem, locating various parts of the problem, and finally identifying the problem (Sternberg).
In psychology, rigidity is the failure or incapacity to consider another person’s views or feelings. Rigidity is thought to be the result of an inherent lack of understanding of emotions. Individuals who are rigid are extremely resistant to change, and are not flexible problem solvers. Even if there is a new and better solution to a problem, a rigid person will seek a solution that is familiar.
Stereotyping is a dangerous way of thinking that has set views of how certain individuals or groups act. It is a way of thinking that often serves to make predictions about how an individual will act in situations including problem solving. In terms of problem solving, it is rather threatening. For example, if a woman is given a problem that involves advanced skills in math, the stereotype that women cannot perform mathematically threatens a woman’s ability to develop strategies.
An algorism is a series of steps and procedures that lead to the solution to a problem. If one follows an algorism flawlessly, he or she will surely arrive at the correct solution. Heuristics refer to the formation of judgments quickly in the form of mental shortcuts. In problem solving, there may be a host of solutions at hand to seemingly solve a problem. A person will make decisions based on which solutions are judged to be more possible due to how people estimate probability.
- Behaviorism. (2010, July 27). Retrieved from http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/behaviorism/
- Sternberg, R. J., & Sternberg, K. (2012). Cognitive psychology. (6th ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth/Cengage Learning
