Question 1

According to your textbook,which of the following questions would be the LEAST likely to lead to a creative solution?
A) What can I extract from the known information?
B) How would the problem look from an airplane? How does it look from underneath?
C) What is the one best answer to this problem?
D) Is this in any way like a problem I've solved before?

Accepted Answer

The question that asks for the "one best answer" is the least likely to lead to a creative solution because it limits the range of possible solutions and discourages exploring multiple options. The other questions encourage looking at the problem from different perspectives and considering novel approaches.

Question 2

Restaurants whose menus feature a broader variety of choices often find that
A) their patrons will be more likely to try a different entree each time they come to the restaurant.
B) this change will guarantee significantly increased business.
C) this change will guarantee significantly decreased business.
D) their patrons will be more likely to order from a smaller number of familiar choices.

Accepted Answer

While a broader variety of choices on the menu may attract customers initially, research has shown that too many options can actually overwhelm and confuse customers, leading them to stick to what they know and order from a smaller selection of familiar choices. This is known as the "paradox of choice." Therefore, option D - that customers are more likely to order from a smaller number of familiar choices - is the best choice.

Question 3

The tendency to perceive a problem in a way that blinds us to possible solutions is called
A) a mental set.
B) divergent thought.
C) a prototype.
D) brainstorming.

Accepted Answer

A mental set is a cognitive tendency to approach a problem in a particular way that has worked in the past but may not be the best approach for a new problem. This can prevent individuals from seeing possible solutions that require a different perspective or approach.

Question 4

According to Soman and other researchers,increased stress,cognitive overload,and confusion about the possibilities are some of the reasons that people
A) exhibit functional fixedness.
B) are able to think divergently.
C) have difficulty making complex choices.
D) resort to algorithmic thinking.

Accepted Answer

Increased stress, cognitive overload, and confusion about possibilities can make decision-making more difficult and overwhelming, leading to difficulty making complex choices. It can be harder to weigh the pros and cons of various options and make a well-informed decision when experiencing these factors. Functional fixedness, divergent thinking, and algorithmic thinking are not directly related to these particular factors.

Question 5

Which of the following statements about enhancing creativity is TRUE?
A) It helps creativity to be evaluated on your solutions or ideas as soon as possible.
B) Restating the problem in different ways tends to produce more creative solutions.
C) Trying to hurry or forcing a solution tends to encourage creative thought.
D) Following an algorithmic approach will lead to more idea generation.

Accepted Answer

Restating the problem in different ways can help break down mental barriers and encourage novel solutions. The other statements are not true; evaluation too soon can discourage creativity, trying to hurry or force a solution can stifle creativity, and following an algorithmic approach can limit idea generation.

Question 6

Regarding how creativity can be encouraged,which of the following statements is FALSE?
A) Many studies of creativity show that "genius" and "eminence" owe as much to persistence and dedication as they do to inspiration.
B) Encouraging mental sets can lead you to see the world from a more creative perspective.
C) To encourage creativity, seek varied input by randomly looking up words in the dictionary and relating them to the problem.
D) If you are feeling hurried by a sense of time pressure, you are almost always less likely to think creatively.

Accepted Answer

Encouraging mental sets, which are habits or patterns of problem-solving, can actually hinder creativity by limiting the ability to see alternative solutions or novel approaches.

Question 7

A supervisor is given the problem to design a better doorway and presents this task to his employees by asking them to "devise ways to define separate areas for living and working."
The supervisor's revised task for his employees will
A) encourage creativity by broadly defining the problem.
B) discourage creativity because the problem has been defined too broadly.
C) encourage creativity by quickly creating mental sets.
D) prevent incubation of the problem and discourage creativity.

Accepted Answer

By broadly defining the problem, the supervisor is giving his employees more freedom to approach the problem in creative ways, resulting in a greater chance of developing innovative solutions. This approach encourages employees to think outside the box and is more likely to generate unique ideas.

Question 8

Which of the following would NOT encourage creativity?
A) breaking mental sets and challenging assumptions
B) defining the problem broadly
C) looking for analogies and delaying evaluation
D) utilizing convergent thinking under time pressure

Accepted Answer

Utilizing convergent thinking under time pressure does not encourage creativity as it focuses on finding the one correct solution rather than exploring multiple potential solutions.

Question 9

You are asked the following tricky question,"A farmer had 19 sheep.All but 9 died.How many sheep did the farmer have left?" To answer this question,you must
A) utilize a mental set.
B) define the problem narrowly.
C) actively challenge your assumptions.
D) look for analogies within the problem.

Accepted Answer

The answer of You are asked the following tricky question,"A...

Question 10

In order to find new ways to open a can,a group leader asks his team of inventors to think of "opening" in general rather than asking them to come up with a better way to open a can.In
Doing so,this group leader will
A) encourage creativity since he broadly defined the problem.
B) discourage creativity because he defined the problem too broadly.
C) encourage the use of mental sets, thus, encouraging creativity.
D) prevent incubation of the problem, thus, discouraging creativity.

Accepted Answer

By broadening the definition of the problem, the group leader is encouraging his team to think creatively and outside the box in order to come up with new and innovative solutions. This approach allows for a wider range of ideas and promotes creativity.

Question 11

In one study,a group of consumers were given an option to purchase jam with half of them choosing from six different flavors and the other half choosing from 24 flavors.The researchers found that the consumers with more choice expressed
A) more interest and were more likely to purchase a jam.
B) more interest, but were less likely to purchase any jam.
C) less interest, but were more likely to purchase a jam.
D) less interest and were less likely to purchase any jam.

Accepted Answer

The study found that while consumers with more choices (24 flavors) showed more interest, they were actually less likely to make a purchase compared to those with fewer options (6 flavors). This phenomenon is often related to the paradox of choice, where too many options can lead to decision paralysis.

Question 12

Regarding the effects of choice on decision-making,which of the following statements is FALSE?
A) Businesses that increase the variety of their product offerings are guaranteed increased sales.
B) Restaurants whose menus feature a broader variety of choices often find that patrons are more likely to order from a smaller number of familiar choices.
C) In one study, consumers with more flavors of jams to choose from did express more interest, but were actually 10 times less likely to purchase any jam.
D) Complex choices are difficult to make due to increased stress, cognitive overload, difficulty remembering all of the choices, and confusion about the possibilities.

Accepted Answer

This statement is not always true as simply increasing the variety of product offerings may not necessarily lead to increased sales, as other factors such as quality, price, and marketing also play a role in consumer decision-making.

Question 13

According to your textbook,which of the following questions would be the LEAST likely to lead to a creative solution?
A) How would other people, such as a child, psychologist, or artist look at this problem?
B) What is the one best answer for solving this problem?
C) What are the parts of the problem and how are they related?
D) If the problem were alive, what would it look like?

Accepted Answer

The question "What is the one best answer for solving this problem?" suggests a narrow, linear approach to problem-solving and does not allow for creative or alternative solutions.

Question 14

You go to the new ice cream parlor that has 48 different flavors of ice cream and 20 different toppings.According to behavioral economist Dilip Soman,having all these choices
A) tends to facilitate one's decision-making.
B) tend to decrease one's decision-making ability.
C) prevents one from experiencing functional fixedness.
D) often leads to one using algorithmic thinking.

Accepted Answer

According to the information provided by Dilip Soman, having a large number of choices tends to decrease one's decision-making ability, which implies that it is harder to make a decision in this scenario. Therefore, the best choice would be B.

Question 15

You are asked the following tricky question,"If there are 12 one-cent candies in a dozen,how many two-cent candies are there in a dozen?" To answer this question,you must
A) utilize a mental set.
B) define the problem narrowly.
C) actively challenge your assumptions.
D) look for analogies within the problem.

Accepted Answer

The question assumes that there are two-cent candies in a dozen, but this may not be the case. By actively challenging this assumption, we could potentially discover that there are no two-cent candies in a dozen, or that there are a different number of them than we might have initially assumed. This approach requires us to think critically about the problem and consider all possibilities, instead of simply accepting the information given to us.

Question 16

Which of the following is a major barrier to creative thinking and can lead us to see a problem in preconceived terms that impede our problem-solving attempts?
A) forming a mental set
B) divergent thought
C) using analogies
D) brainstorming

Accepted Answer

Forming a mental set is a major barrier to creative thinking because it can lead us to approach a problem with preconceived ideas or solutions that limit our ability to think outside the box and find innovative solutions. This can impede our problem-solving attempts by preventing us from considering new or alternative approaches.

Question 17

A problem is presented in the textbook that involves arranging six matches to make four triangles.The triangles must be the same size,and each side must be equal to the length of
One match.Most people are initially unable to solve this problem because they assume
Incorrectly that the matches must be arranged on a flat surface rather in a three-dimensional
Pyramid shape.This incorrect assumption illustrates how which of the following can be a
Major barrier to creative thinking?
A) a mental set
B) divergent thinking
C) a prototype
D) incubation

Accepted Answer

A mental set is a tendency to approach a problem in a particular way based on previous experience or knowledge. In this case, the incorrect assumption about arranging the matches on a flat surface is likely based on previous experience with arranging objects in a two-dimensional space. This mental set can prevent creative thinking and lead to incorrect solutions.

Question 18

Fixations and functional fixedness are specific types of
A) insight learning.
B) divergent thinking.
C) prototypes.
D) mental sets.

Accepted Answer

Fixations and functional fixedness are both examples of mental sets, which are cognitive patterns or frameworks that guide problem solving and decision making. Fixations occur when individuals become stuck on a particular aspect of a problem and are unable to consider alternative solutions. Functional fixedness is a type of fixation in which individuals are unable to see alternative uses for an object beyond its typical function.

Question 19

A problem is presented in the textbook that involves connecting nine dots arranged in a square using four continuous lines drawn without lifting the pencil.Most people are initially unable to
Solve this problem because they assume incorrectly that they are not allowed to extend the
Lines beyong the square formed by the dots.This incorrect assumption illustrates how which of
The following can be major barrier to creative thinking?
A) incubation
B) divergent thinking
C) a prototype
D) a mental set

Accepted Answer

The incorrect assumption made by most people in the problem suggests the presence of a mental set, which is a preconceived notion or habitual way of thinking that limits one's ability to come up with creative solutions. The individual assumes that the lines cannot extend beyond the square because they are used to seeing the dots as forming a box. This mental set prevents them from considering new possibilities and using divergent thinking to find a solution beyond the perceived limitations.

Question 20

In order to arrive at a creative solution to a problem,it is often useful to
A) get to the specifics of the problem quickly.
B) define the problem as narrowly as possible.
C) break mental sets and challenge assumptions.
D) discard as many impractical suggestions as quickly as possible.

Accepted Answer

Breaking mental sets and challenging assumptions allows for new and unconventional solutions to be considered, leading to more creative problem-solving. A and B limit the scope of the problem, and D shuts down potentially innovative ideas too quickly.

Quiz 8: C: Cognition,language,and Creativity

According to your textbook,which of the following questions would be the LEAST likely to lead to a creative solution?

Restaurants whose menus feature a broader variety of choices often find that

The tendency to perceive a problem in a way that blinds us to possible solutions is called

According to Soman and other researchers,increased stress,cognitive overload,and confusion about the possibilities are some of the reasons that people

Which of the following statements about enhancing creativity is TRUE?

Regarding how creativity can be encouraged,which of the following statements is FALSE?

A supervisor is given the problem to design a better doorway and presents this task to his employees by asking them to "devise ways to define separate areas for living and working." The supervisor's revised task for his employees will

Which of the following would NOT encourage creativity?

You are asked the following tricky question,"A farmer had 19 sheep.All but 9 died.How many sheep did the farmer have left?" To answer this question,you must

In order to find new ways to open a can,a group leader asks his team of inventors to think of "opening" in general rather than asking them to come up with a better way to open a can.In Doing so,this group leader will

In one study,a group of consumers were given an option to purchase jam with half of them choosing from six different flavors and the other half choosing from 24 flavors.The researchers found that the consumers with more choice expressed

Regarding the effects of choice on decision-making,which of the following statements is FALSE?

According to your textbook,which of the following questions would be the LEAST likely to lead to a creative solution?

You go to the new ice cream parlor that has 48 different flavors of ice cream and 20 different toppings.According to behavioral economist Dilip Soman,having all these choices

You are asked the following tricky question,"If there are 12 one-cent candies in a dozen,how many two-cent candies are there in a dozen?" To answer this question,you must

Which of the following is a major barrier to creative thinking and can lead us to see a problem in preconceived terms that impede our problem-solving attempts?

Fixations and functional fixedness are specific types of

In order to arrive at a creative solution to a problem,it is often useful to