The Psychology of Problem Solving

• Part I. Introduction: 1. Recognizing, defining, and representing problems; 2. The acquisition of expert performance as problem solving: construction and modification of mediating mechanisms through deliberate practice; Part II. Relevant Abilities and Skills: 3. Is success or failure at problem solving complex problems related to intellectual ability?; 4. Creativity: a source of difficulty in problem solving; 5. Insights about insightful problem solving; 6. The role of working memory in problem solving; 7. Comprehension of text in problem solving; Part III. States and Strategies: 8. Motivating self-regulated problem solvers; 9. Feeling and thinking: implications for problem solving; 10. The fundamental computational biases of human cognition: heuristics that (sometimes) impair decision making and problem solving; 11. Analogical transfer in problem solving; Part IV. Conclusions and Integration: 12. Problem-solving, large/small, hard/easy problem-space/problem-solver: the issue of dichotomization.

'A good book on any subject should summarise the current state of knowledge, and point to the important areas where further work is needed, and this book does both. Overall, this is a very stimulating collection, which all researchers in problem solving will wish to consult.' Trends in Cognitive Sciences