What is problem-solving, and how do psychologists typically characterize the problem-solving process?

Question

What is problem-solving, and how do psychologists typically characterize the problem-solving process? Can learning be seen as a form of problem-solving? Can creativity? How might critical thinking be related to problem-solving?

Answer 1

Your instinct that these concepts are related is correct! Problem-solving is goal-directed thinking in which a person identifies a gap between a current state and a desired state and then selects and applies strategies to reduce that gap. Psychologists define problem-solving as a process that includes defining and representing the problem, generating possible strategies, implementing a strategy, evaluating the outcome, and revising the approach as needed. How a problem is represented is crucial because framing shapes what solutions are even considered. Some problems are solved gradually through step-by-step analytic reasoning, while others are solved through insight after the problem is restructured. Common obstacles include mental set and functional fixedness, which can narrow the strategies a person tries.

Learning can be seen as a form of problem-solving when it involves using feedback and experience to improve future performance by updating strategies and reducing errors over time. Creativity can also be part of problem-solving, especially for novel or ill-defined problems, because it involves generating ideas that are both original and useful and overcoming fixedness (i.e., the tendency to consider only typical uses of a tool). Critical thinking supports problem-solving by helping people evaluate evidence, test assumptions, detect bias, weigh alternatives, and choose strategies more effectively, especially when heuristics might lead to systematic errors.