Does Training with Differential Reinforcement on Similar Problems Help in Solving a New Problem?

Hoffman, L. Richard; Burke, Ronald J.; Maier, Norman R. F.

doi:10.2466/pr0.1963.13.1.147

Cited by 14 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 9 publications

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“…Mindfulness is a style of thinking that typically conflicts with one's fixed mindset that is counterproductive to aspects of problem solving (Hoffman et al, 1963;Luchins, 1942) and social cognition (Bargh, Chen, & Burrows, 1996;Lane & Piercy, 2003). Mindfulness has been characterized by Langer and colleagues as a mental state in which individuals divide their attention into novel distinctions of objects (e.g., in a traditional mindset condition, people are likely to impose stigma on the disabled; in contrast, under the state of mindfulness condition, people might think that individuals with a physical disability are suitable for sitting work from multiple perspectives).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

“…In some cases, these old thinking patterns, to some degree, cannot adapt absolutely and effectively to new problems, and may even impede our ability to think creatively and critically. A substantial body of literature on the Einstellung effect (Hoffman, Burke, & Maier, 1963;Luchins, 1942) has indicated people's predisposition to fall into a rigid and constrained mind-set using traditional problem-solving pattern(s) and even ignoring other simpler and better solutions.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Mindful learning can promote connectedness to nature: Implicit and explicit evidence

Wang

Geng

Zhou

et al. 2016

Consciousness and Cognition

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mindful learning can promote connectedness to nature: Implicit and explicit evidence

Wang

Geng

Zhou

et al. 2016

Consciousness and Cognition

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“…Previous research on the Einstellung effect or set has clearly shown how quickly people come to respond to the world in a limited and rigid fashion. The now classic water jar studies by Luchins (1942) have served as an appropriate model of this behavior (more recent work by Hoffman, Burke, & Maier, 1963, made essentially the same point). After brief experience with one solution to a problem, subjects tend to overlook a simpler solution (or more effective solution, as in the case of Hoffman et al, 1963) when it is available and appropriate.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The now classic water jar studies by Luchins (1942) have served as an appropriate model of this behavior (more recent work by Hoffman, Burke, & Maier, 1963, made essentially the same point). After brief experience with one solution to a problem, subjects tend to overlook a simpler solution (or more effective solution, as in the case of Hoffman et al, 1963) when it is available and appropriate. Luchins (1942) found that although subjects were more flexible when instructed to think about the problem carefully, they were still somewhat rigid.…”

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confidence: 99%

The prevention of mindlessness.

Langer¹,

Piper²

1987

Journal of Personality and Social Psychology

209

120

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We conducted three experiments to assess the hypothesis that mindlessness could be prevented with a simple linguistic variation. This amounts to teaching in a conditional rather than an absolute way. Accordingly, subjects in the first two experiments were either introduced to new objects conditionally (e.g., this could be an X) or unconditionally (e.g., this is an X), and the objects used were either unfamiliar or familiar. In each study a different need was then generated for which the object in question was not explicitly suited but could fulfill. Only those subjects in the conditional-unfamiliar group gave the creative response and met the need. When subjects were asked explicitly to generate novel uses for the target items, they had no difficulty doing so. However, given the way we are traditionally taught, it simply does not occur to us to think creatively unless explicitly instructed to do so. In the third experiment we introduced an unfamiliar item in one of three ways. In addition to the groups used in the earlier experiments, we added a group that was led to believe that the object was identifiable (unconditional) but was currently unknown. We also added a second need to determine whether the original conditional group truly learned conditionally or if they were in search of an absolute understanding of the target object. Significantly more of the subjects in the conditional group gave the creative response to both needs. A conditional understanding of the world seems to prevent mindlessness.Many studies conducted over the past decade have revealed the potential deleterious effects of mindless information processing. These consequences seem to be physical (e.g.

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“…Previous research with the Hatrack Problem (Hoffman, Burke, & Maier, 1963) has indicated two common incorrect assumptions which Ss tend to make in trying to solve the problem: (1) a hatrack is a vertical strucmre which rests on the floor and ( 2 ) the coat must be hung at the end of one of the sticks. Both assumptions conflict with finding the correct solution, which requires the use of the ceiling as a support for the structure and the clamp both as the coat hanger and as a fastener for the two sticks.…”

Section: Ex~erimelztal P~oblemmentioning

confidence: 99%

Influence of Timing of Hints on Their Effectiveness in Problem Solving

Maier

Burke

1967

Psychol Rep

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To determine whether the receptivity and effectiveness of hints was related to the length of rime Ss had spent on a problem before receiving them, a good and a poor hint were used in the Hatrack Problem (Maier, 1945) with 383 male college students, who were individually tested. Three stages of problem solving were selected for each hint in order to measure the importance of timing. These were cs follows: ( 1 ) at the outset, before problem-solving activity had starred, ( 2 ) at a point when Ss were about to give u p after experiencing a variety of failures, and ( 3 ) at an intermediate stage when S might be actively involved in exploring his own ideas. ( 1 ) Differences attributable to the stages at which the hints were introduced were not significant for either hint. This similarity seemed to result from the manner in which the hints interrupted ongoing activity. Ss were told chat the hint was applicable.( 2 ) The analysis of activity following the hint supported an earlier study demonstrating that the effect of the hint was to e:iminate activity incongruous with it. Thus the value of each hint depended upon the incorrect activity it eliminated. ( 3 ) The timing of the hint did not influence subsequent problem-solving activity. Burke, Maier, and Hoffman (1966) found that hints could: (1) stop the ongoing "direction" in problem solving (Maier, 1930), ( 2 ) serve as a stimulant for the correct direction or the correct solution, ( 3 ) set up a false direccion, ( 4 ) become absorbed or modified by the ongoing direccion, or (5 ) remain in the background as a point of orientation as unsuccessful directions are abandoned. Since a hinc can kave a variety of effects, it is of interest to determine whether these effects are primarily a matter of individual differences or whether they are a function of the problem-solving stage at which they are introduced.Wertheimer (1959, footnote, p. 91) has proposed that hints will be used most effectively if the individual has a f~lnctional need which the hint satisfies, or when he "has already entered the region of difficulty." D~~n c k e r (1945, p. 1 2 ) in a similar vein stresses the point that a hint must fit (be congruous) with the individual's thinking, and he states that the value of a hinc increases "the closer it approaches the genealogical line under development" in the individual's thought processes. Maier (1930) pointed out chat hints given after S had ideas about the solucion were less likely to be used effectively because they were often misinterpreted to support the ongoing incorrect direction. All of these concepts make responses to a hint largely an individual response at a given stage in the IThis investigation was supported by a USPHS research grant (MH 02704) to N.

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Does Training with Differential Reinforcement on Similar Problems Help in Solving a New Problem?

Cited by 14 publications

References 9 publications

Mindful learning can promote connectedness to nature: Implicit and explicit evidence

Mindful learning can promote connectedness to nature: Implicit and explicit evidence

The prevention of mindlessness.

Influence of Timing of Hints on Their Effectiveness in Problem Solving

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