Insight and Expertise in Problem Solving

Experts have acquired specialized knowledge. This knowledge manifests in the form of superior intuitions or Type 1 processes. Experts rely on pattern recognition. From experience, they recognize situations that are similar to those seen before and can rapidly propose potential solutions that have worked in the past.

Only when problems are unusually novel do they need to engage in explicit reasoning of a Type 2 nature. This is desirable. In real world situations, we do not want experts to spend a lot of time reasoning things out from first principles. We want experts to be able to recognize problems and react quickly.

Thinking Hypothetically

The term “supposition” refers to a belief that is assumed for the sake of argument or investigation. It’s an idea that you entertain as being possibly true, often as a starting point for further examination or discussion.

Example

Suppose you find a wet towel on the bathroom floor. The supposition might be that someone took a shower recently. This supposition can then be investigated further—perhaps by asking family members or checking for other signs of recent shower activity.

A hypothesis is a supposition about some aspect of the world. Developing and testing hypotheses in an informal way is part of our everyday thinking. For example, if the car does not start, we may think it is due to flat battery. This hypothesis can quickly be eliminated if the engine turns over when we turn the key but fails to fire.

We can see here that hypothesis testing is part of problem solving.

Cognitive Reflection Test

If it takes 5 machines 5 mintues to make 5 pens, how long would it take 100 machines to make 100 pens?

Cognitive Bias

Intuitive answers can be so compelling that we seem never to engage in reasoning at all.