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Problem Solving

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Towards a Theory of Thinking

Part of the book series: On Thinking ((ONTHINKING))

Abstract

Problem solving and thinking are inseparably linked together. We propose that a theory of thinking has to consider and incorporate the notion of problem solving. In this chapter, we review the most important accounts of problem solving and hope to convince the reader that problem solving may provide an ideal framework for developing a theory of thinking.

We start with a broad summary on the Gestaltist perspective. The Gestaltists per se understood thinking as problem solving. They invented a large body of theoretical concepts and ingenious tasks that until now influence cognitive psychology in general and unexpectedly affects the development of the information processing account also. However, this influence becomes less and less explicit and is not appropriately recognized. We hope to stress this connection and bring it back to the readers’ minds. Nevertheless, the Gestaltist approach has its weaknesses and methodological flaws, which will be dealt with in this chapter.

A large section is dedicated to the information processing account that still dominates the problem solving literature as a clear and proper account for describing and defining human problem solving. We elaborate on the differentiation between well and ill-defined problems and provide several foundations and models derived from this account. Nevertheless, the information processing account has its limits and we conclude with some extensions of the classical account and provide an integrative model for insight problem solving.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Parmenides Center for the Study of Thinking, Munich, Germany

    Michael Öllinger

  2. Department of Psychology, York University, Toronto, Canada

    Vinod Goel

  3. Department of Psychology, University of Hull, Hull, UK

    Vinod Goel

Authors
  1. Michael Öllinger
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  2. Vinod Goel
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Michael Öllinger .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Parmenides Foundation, Kardinal Faulhaber Str. 14 a, Munich, 80333, Germany

    Britt Glatzeder

  2. Dept. Psychology, York University, Keele Street 4700, Toronto, M3J 1P3, Canada

    Vinod Goel

  3. Parmenides Foundation, Kardinal Faulhaber Str. 14 a, Munich, 80333, Germany

    Albrecht Müller

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Öllinger, M., Goel, V. (2010). Problem Solving. In: Glatzeder, B., Goel, V., Müller, A. (eds) Towards a Theory of Thinking. On Thinking. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-03129-8_1

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