There are various kinds of problems in our everyday life. We face problems each and every day. We use problem-solving when we want to reach a goal, and that goal easily not available. It involves those situations in which something is blocking our successful
completion of our target or goal/task.
There are various approaches to Problem Solving on which we will have a brief look. We will discuss the traditional approach to modern approaches.
1)Traditional Approaches:- These approaches explain problem-solving on the principles of associative learning which has been taken from the studies of Classical and Instrumental Conditioning.
2)Gestalt Approaches:- Gestalt psychologists emphasized the importance of the structure of the problematic situation and the formation of new ideas with the combination of old ideas. Gestalt psychologists were focused on that how people solve problems if objects are rearranged.
3)Information Processing and Computer Simulation:- There are number of researchers who has tried to program the computer to perform the tasks and work that humans do. These computer simulation researchers has had great influence on the psychology of human cognitive processes. This method consists to program a computer to work in specific manner.
3.1) The General Problem Solver:- This program was equipped with the equivalent of:
A limited capacity working memory characterized by rapid storage and retrieval
A large capacity long term memory characterized by relatively low storage and
retrieval
A serial processor that performs one operation at a time
A reliance upon heuristics, rather than algorithms that would require a large
number of high speed calculations.
Newell and his colleagues collected verbal protocols that were used and kept as
a record of individuals talking aloud as they solved problems. Then they transcribed
these lengthy records carefully to see if they could find general heuristics that
emerged. It introduced a way of conceptualizing problem that is adopted in most
contemporary theories of problem solving.
The General solver (GPS) assumes that the matter solver represents
a problem as a problem space which consists of a set of nodes, each node
corresponding to a state of data about the matter . The problem solver
begins at the initial state of information and seeks to convert it into the goal state
by applying operators, which are actions that are permitted so as to maneuver
from one state of another. Problem solving, then, requires a constructive search
during which the solver builds up a drag space, which leads from the initial
to goal state employing a set of allowed operators.
3.2) Means End Analysis
This was recognized as a general problem solving heuristic which involves a
search for operations that will reduce the difference between present state of
knowledge and the goal state.
3.3) Wickelgren’s General Problem Solving Strategies
Wickelgren’s view of problem solving is predicated on information science theories
such as GPS. consistent with this view, a proper problem contains three sorts of
information:
A statement of the initial state.
Description of the goal state.
Description of set of operation or transformations.
A solution are often defined as a sequence of state or actions which helps to represent
in a diagram called the State Action Tree. The nodes or branch points on the tree
represent all the possibly different problem states that would result from all the
different action sequences.
Wickelgren argues that there are seven general problem solving techniques for searching the state
action tree.
i) Inference: Deducing from the explicitly stated goals givens, and operations
stated within the problem
ii) Classification of action sequences: organising possible sequences of actions
(or operations) that are equivalent as far because the problem cares . These
are called equivalence classes.
iii) State evaluation and hill climbing: state evaluation involves defining a
quantitative evaluation function which will be calculated for all possible
problem states and hill climbing involves choosing the action to be taken
next which will have an evaluation that's closest to the goal.
iv) Subgoals: This stage involves checking out sub goals involve breaking down
the problem into sub goals to form it simpler.
v) Contradiction: deriving some inference from the givens that's inconsistent
with the goal state to narrow down the state action tree during a systematic
fashion by eliminating possibilities that would possibly not work.
vi) Working backward: It involves beginning with the goal state and dealing
backward from it.
vii) Finding relations between problems: finding relations between the new
problems and problems solved previously.
4)NEWELL’S APPROACH
It is very natural to consider problems as being solved through the exploration of
different paths to an answer . Taker maze for instance . In this, you begin from a
point outside the maze then progress through it to the center. On your way,
you reach junctions where you've got to settle on between going straight on, turning
to the left or right, or turning back. Each of those alternative paths may branch
again and again in order that , within the maze as an entire , there are many alternative
paths (only a number of which can cause the center). Different strategies are often
used to find one’s way through a labyrinth.
The strategies provide you with a scientific method for searching the maze and
help you to pick one from among the various alternative paths.
Newell and Simon used parallels to those basic ideas to characterize human
problem solving behavior.
They suggested that the target structure of a drag are often characterized as:
i) a group of states, beginning from an initial state (e.g. standing outside the maze),
ii) involving many intermediate states (e.g. moving through the maze), and
iii) ending with a goal state (e.g. being at the center of the maze)
#deaddiction #rehablitition #recovery #problemsolving #mapc
