Your initial discussion thread is due on Day 3 (Thursday) and you have until Day 7 (Monday) to respond to your classmates. Your grade will reflect both the quality of your initial post and the depth of your responses. Refer to the Discussion Forum Grading Rubric under the Settings icon above for guidance on how your discussion will be evaluated.

Problem Solving: Popular Beliefs and Evidence

In this discussion forum, you will assess the validity of popular assumptions and beliefs about problem solving. Please note that your answers need be supported by scientific evidence. For your initial post, complete the steps below:

Watch the video, Rory Sutherland: Sweat the Small Stuff, on how simplicity can benefit problem solving.

Select one of the following topics:

Laypersons and scientists alike often report that after having tried to solve a problem for an entire day, “sleeping on it” led to a solution. Does sleep indeed promote problem solving?

Laypersons and scientists alike often report that a solution to a problem may come to mind after having taken a break from thinking about the problem. Does incubation really work?

Select a theoretical view/model of problem solving (e.g., Gestalt psychology, information processing approach, etc.). What is the evidence that supports it? What evidence, if any, does not fit the model?

Are experts better at solving problems than non-experts? If so, what is responsible for experts’ superior performance? Is their superiority general or limited to their field of expertise?

Are there individual differences in problem-solving abilities? For instance, is working memory’s capacity linked to one’s ability to solve problems?

After you select a topic, access the Ashford University Library and Google Scholar and review the literature on problem solving. Then select a research article that answers the questions related to the selected topic. Finally, share the evidence you have uncovered and your critical examination of such evidence with the class. Your initial post must be a minimum of 300 words.

Guided Response: Offer a substantial response to at least two other posts written by members of the class. Respond to a post that discusses a different topic from the one that you have selected, a post that discusses the same topic, and an inquiry from your instructor. Keep in mind that both your peers and your instructor are members of the class. In your answers, discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the content of each post. Be sure that you cite scientific evidence to support your views. A minimum of 200 words should be used for each response to other posts.