Real World Problem-Solving

Abstract

Real world problem-solving (RWPS) is what we do every day. It requires flexibility, resilience, resourcefulness, and a certain degree of creativity. A crucial feature of RWPS is that it involves continuous interaction with the environment during the problem-solving process. In this process, the environment can be seen as not only a source of inspiration for new ideas but also as a tool to facilitate creative thinking. The cognitive neuroscience literature in creativity and problem-solving is extensive, but it has largely focused on neural networks that are active when subjects are not focused on the outside world, i.e., not using their environment. In this paper, I attempt to combine the relevant literature on creativity and problem-solving with the scattered and nascent work in perceptually-driven learning from the environment. I present my synthesis as a potential new theory for real world problem-solving and map out its hypothesized neural basis. I outline some testable predictions made by the model and provide some considerations and ideas for experimental paradigms that could be used to evaluate the model more thoroughly.

Brain activity links performance in science reasoning with conceptual approach

“…22 However, when students continually reidentify associational patterns across problems, they may rely more heavily on visually guided SN activity to select which problem features deserve their attention. 43…”

Brain activity links performance in science reasoning with conceptual approach

“…These findings suggest that chunked knowledge can reduce working memory demands, allowing for increased focus on other control structure aspects of problem solving (17). However, when students continually re-identify associational patterns across problems, they may rely more heavily on visually guided SN activity to select which problem features deserve their attention (36).…”

Feature Guided Search for Creative Problem Solving Through Tool Construction

“…Prior work by Sarathy and Scheutz have focused on formalizing creative problem solving in the context of planning problems (Sarathy andScheutz, 2017, 2018). They define the notion of "Macgyver-esque" creativity as embodied agents that can "generate, execute, and learn strategies for identifying and solving seemingly unsolvable real-world problems" (Sarathy and Scheutz, 2017).…”

“…As described in their work, solving an MGP requires a domain extension or contraction through perceiving the agent's environment and self. Prior work by Sarathy also provide an in-depth discussion of the cognitive processes involved in creative problem solving in detail, by leveraging existing work in Neuroscience (Sarathy, 2018 ). Prior work by Olteţeanu and Falomir has also looked at the problem of Object Replacement and Object Composition (OROC) situated within a cognitive framework called, the Creative Cognitive Framework (CreaCogs) (Olteţeanu and Falomir, 2016 ).…”