The role of mental representation in problem-solving process

Grenc, Nejc (author), Repovš, Grega (mentor), Grežo, Matuš (comentor)

Although the mental representation of a problem is an often-overlooked aspect in the problem-solving research, it has a significant effect on the understanding of the problem, on strategy selection, and on problem-solving performance. We have performed an experimentally-driven online study with help from 254 participants, which focused on one of the aspects of mental representation research, namely the transfer of mental representation during a problem-solving process. We achieved this by using matchstick tasks, where problem-solvers had to correct the matchstick equations by moving the least number of matchsticks as fast as possible. Before the experiment, problem-solvers learned and trained one of the possible problem-solving strategies, leading to the creation of the associated mental representation. In the testing process, they were provided with a sequence of tasks, where each subsequent task was less optimally solvable by the learned strategy than the previous one, slowly forcing the problem-solvers into an impasse, where they needed to change their strategy in order to continue solving problems. This way, by manipulating tasks with different associated mental representations, we investigate how problem-solvers’ mental representations, created in previous tasks, induce positive or negative transfer and thus in subsequent tasks affect their problem-solving performance in terms of time and the number of moves taken per task. Based on the results of this study, we conclude that mental representations differ significantly in their availability, with the representation of moving matchsticks between or within numerals having higher availability than the representation of moving matchsticks between or within operators. Transitively, their inherent differences exhibit a significant, positively-correlated effect on transfer and performance in problem-solving processes, unexpectedly even in control groups. While problems themselves are independent from problem-solvers, their solutions and the process of achieving them are not. In this thesis we show that this often-overlooked aspect of problem-solver's initial mental representation has a significant role on the problem-solving process.

• Language: English
• Keywords: problem-solving
• Work type: Master's thesis/paper
• Typology: 2.09 - Master's Thesis
• Organization: PEF - Faculty of Education
• Year: 2021
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-128089
• COBISS.SI-ID: 67655683
• Publication date in RUL: 17.08.2021

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Title: Vpliv mentalnih reprezentacij na postopek reševanja problemov

Abstract

Čeprav je mentalna reprezentacija problema pogosto spregledan vidik v raziskavah reševanja problemov, ima pomemben vpliv na razumevanje, izbiro strategij in uspešnost reševanja problema. Izvedli smo eksperimentalno spletno raziskavo s pomočjo 254 udeležencev, ki se je osredotočila na enega od vidikov raziskav mentalnih reprezentacij, in sicer na prenos (ang. transfer) mentalne reprezentacije med postopkom reševanja problemov. To smo dosegli z uporabo vžigaličnih enačb, kjer so morali udeleženci ˇcim hitreje popraviti nepravilne vžigalične enačbe s premikom najmanjšega števila vžigalic. Pred poskusom so se udeleženci naučili in trenirali eno od možnih strategij za reševanje problemov, kar je vodilo k ustvarjanju povezane mentalne reprezentacije. Med procesom testiranja jim je bilo dano zaporedje vžigaličnih nalog, kjer je vsaka naslednja naloga manj optimalno rešljiva z naučeno strategijo kot prejšnja. Tako so bili reševalci problemov počasi prisiljeni v mentalni zastoj (ang. impasse), kjer so morali spremeniti svojo strategijo, da so lahko nadaljevali z eksperimentom. Tako z manipulacijo nalog z različnimi povezanimi mentalnimi reprezentacijami raziskujemo, kako mentalne reprezentacije reševalcev problemov, pridobljene z reševanjem prejšnjih nalog, sprožijo pozitiven ali negativen prenos in tako vplivajo na uspešnost reševanja nadaljnjih nalog v času in številu potez, ki jih reševalec potrebuje za rešitev naloge. Naši rezultati nakazujejo, da se mentalne reprezentacije bistveno razlikujejo po svoji razpoložljivosti, pri čemer je razpoložljivost premikov vžigalic med številkami ali znotraj njih večja kot razpoložljivost premikov vžigalic med operatorji ali znotraj njih. Tranzitivno pa razlike med njimi kažejo pomemben, pozitivno koreliran učinek na prenos in uspešnost reševanja problemov, nepričakovano tudi v kontrolnih skupinah. Čeprav so problemi neodvisni od reševalcev problemov, njihove rešitve in postopek njihovega uresničevanja niso. V tem delu pokažemo, da ima ta pogosto spregledan vidik začetne mentalne reprezentacije reševalca problema pomembno vlogo pri postopku reševanja problemov.

• Keywords: reševanje problemov