Scribd
Upload
297 views6 pages

Problem Solving by Nine Dots

The document summarizes research on problem solving, including: 1) Problem solving involves overcoming obstacles to reach a desired state and can involve trial and error or insight. 2) Key steps in the problem solving process include identifying the problem, defining it, formulating a strategy, organizing information, allocating resources, monitoring progress, and evaluating the solution. 3) Problems can be well-defined or ill-defined, and common problem solving methods are trial and error or gaining insight into relationships between elements.

Uploaded by

Fatima Malik
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
297 views6 pages

Problem Solving by Nine Dots

The document summarizes research on problem solving, including: 1) Problem solving involves overcoming obstacles to reach a desired state and can involve trial and error or insight. 2) Key steps in the problem solving process include identifying the problem, defining it, formulating a strategy, organizing information, allocating resources, monitoring progress, and evaluating the solution. 3) Problems can be well-defined or ill-defined, and common problem solving methods are trial and error or gaining insight into relationships between elements.

Uploaded by

Fatima Malik
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 6

Problem solving by nine dots

Purpose

To study the problem solving ability of the subject by using nine-dots.

Introduction

A problem arises when we need to overcome some obstacle in order to get from

our current state to a desired state. Problem solving is the process that an organism implements

in order to try to get from the current state to the desired state.

Behaviorist researchers argued that problem solving was a reproductive process; that is,

organisms faced with a problem applied behavior that had been successful on a previous

occasion. Successful behavior was itself believed to have been arrived at through a process of

trial-and-error. In 1911 Edward Thorndike had developed his law of effect after observing cats

discover how to escape from the cage into which he had placed them. This greatly influenced the

behaviorist view of problem solving

In cognitive psychology, the term problem-solving refers to the mental process that

people go through to discover, analyze, and solve problems.

There are a number of mental processes at work during problem-solving. These include:

● Perceptually recognizing a problem

● Representing the problem in memory

● Considering relevant information that applies to the current problem

● Identify different aspects of the problem


● Labeling and describing the problem

Problem solving cycle

The Problem-Solving Cycle includes the following steps.

1) Problem Identification

2) Problem Definition and Representation

3) Strategy Formulation

4) Organization of Information

5) Resource Allocation

6) Monitoring

7) Evaluation

Steps in the Problem-Solving cycle

Problem Identification

Problem identification is the first step in problem solving and requires the identification

of the problem. It may sound as a simple task but is not always so. One may identify the wrong

problem to begin with, which then may make all further attempts in problem solving as futile

and useless.

Problem Definition and Representation

After the problem has been identified, the next step is to appropriately and fully define

the problem so that it can be solved.


Strategy Formulation

The next step in the problem-solving cycle is to develop a strategy in order to solve the

problem. The approach used here may vary according to the situation and also according to the

person’s preferences.

Organization of Information

The information that is available needs to be organized, before one can come up with a

solution to a problem. The more the information that is available, the better prepared a person

is to come up with an accurate solution.

Resource Allocation

Before problem solving begins, it is important to decide how high in the priority list the

problem is, so that appropriate amount of resources can be allocated to it. If the problem is

judged to be very important, then more resources can be allocated to finding its solution.

Monitoring

Monitoring is also an important process in solving a problem. Monitoring the progress

while working towards a solution is important, as the strategies and approaches employed

presently can be reevaluated if a good progress is not being made in the problem solving

process.

Evaluation
The last step in problem solving is evaluation. After the solution of the problem has

been found, it is important to evaluate the results in order to find whether or not the best

possible solution to the problem has been reached. This evaluation might be immediate, such

as checking the results of a math problem to ensure the answer is correct, or it can be delayed,

such as evaluating the success of a therapy program after several months of treatment.

Types of Problems

Problem solving is basically a process that involves a state of desire for reaching a goal

from a condition that is far from it. Generally, problems can be classified into two types; one

that are well defined, and one that are not.

Ill-Defined problems

Ill- defined problems, as the name suggests, are those problems which are not defined

properly. These are the problems that do not have any clear goals, or information, or solution

paths, or any clear expected solutions. In ill-defined problems, it is not clear what information

one should start from. It is also not clear when the solution has been reached, or what rules

apply in finding out that solution.

Well-Defined problems

Well- defined problems, in contrast, are those in which all the aspects of the problem

are clearly laid out. These problems have specific goals, clearly defined solution paths, and clear

expected solutions.
Problem solving may be defined as situation when a person finds any obstacle on way to goal

achievement in a new and strange situation and he did not have any readymade knowledge to

cope with situation. Problem creates anxiety and frustration. There are following two methods of

problem solving.

 Trial and error

 Insight

Trial and error. It is a process of succeeding in many attempts by trying repeatedly and

learning from one failure where the problem is either so difficult that subject has not a clue.

Subject may be engaged in random trial and error behaviour with no evidence of thinking.

Insight. It is the ability to perceive and understand true nature of something. Problem

solving through insight is sudden awareness of relationship among various elements that had

previously appeared to be independent of one another. Psychologists do not know how insight

operates but do realize that it can be a useful approach to problem solving. Once a problem is

recognized people generally go about solving it in four ways which are introduced by (Wessel,

1982). These steps are as follow:

 Defining a problem

 Devising a strategy

 Executing the problem

 Evaluating the process

Hypothesis

With the course of time, problem solving ability improves.

Apparatus

Cards consist of nine dots, stop watch, paper and pencil.


Participant

Name: Z.A

Age: 22

Gender: Female

Education: B.S 7th semester

You might also like