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Problem Solving
We view many situations in life as problems we
need to solve

Also, much of human behavior can be considered
problem solving, even if we dont think of it as such

Herb Simon provided a theoretical framework for
understanding how humans solve problems
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What is a Problem?
Situation in which we have a goal

But the situation starts out being different from the
goal

Some obstacle prevents you from just converting the
situation from the start state to the goal state
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What Can Be Learned?
How important our internal mental representations
are in influencing our behavior

Problem representation isnt out there in the world,
its in the problem solvers head

The success of our behavior depends on the nature
of the representation
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Start
State
Goal
State
Missionaries and Cannibals
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Problem Solving
Herb Simons Framework
Elements

States - Start and Goal

Operators - Ways to change the state

Intermediate states

Constraints

Problem space
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Problem Space
Start
State
(none on right)
Goal
State
(all on right)
Intermediate States
1 on right 2 on right
3 on right
4 on right 5 on right
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Constraints
First - Must use a boat to cross the river

Cant hold more than two

Must have at least one to row the boat


Second - Must never allow Cannibals to
outnumber Missionaries

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Constraints
Start
State
(none on right)
Goal
State
(all on right)
Intermediate States
1 on right 2 on right
3 on right
4 on right 5 on right
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Solution?
Start
State
(none on right)
Goal
State
(all on right)
Intermediate States
1 on right 2 on right
3 on right
4 on right 5 on right
1
1
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Missionaries and Cannibals
Start
State
(none on right)
Goal
State
(all on right)
Intermediate States
1 on right 2 on right
3 on right
4 on right 5 on right
A
B
B2
C
C2
D
D2
E
1
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
10
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Start
State
Move 1
Move 2 State 1
State 2 Move 3 State 3 Move 4
State 4
Move 5 State 5 Move 6 State 6 Move 7 State 7 Move 8
State 8 Move 9 State 9
Move 10 Move 11 State 10
Goal
State
Missionaries and Cannibals
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What have we learned
about problem solving?
Framework

Strategies

An expert would have to represent problems
differently than a novice
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Experts vs. Novices
Represent problem in terms of principles

Possesses lots of domain specific knowledge

Spend more time forming their representation

Then work forward , rather than using weak
methods
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The problem space is in the problem solvers head

Our representation of the real world is in our head

How a problem is represented influences our success
as solving it

How we represent the world influences the success of
our behavior
What have we learned
about human behavior generally?