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Related Concept Videos

Frustration and Conflict: Approach-Approach, Approach-Avoidance01:20

Frustration and Conflict: Approach-Approach, Approach-Avoidance

Frustration occurs when people are obstructed or prevented from achieving a desired goal or fulfilling a perceived need. For example, when someone's input is ignored in a discussion, it can lead to feelings of frustration. Conflict, however, arises from opposing interests, goals, or actions. Conflicts can take various forms based on the nature of these opposing desires or goals.
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Perception is influenced by perceptual set, context, motivation, and emotion. Perceptual set, or perceptual expectancy, refers to the tendency to perceive things in a particular way, influenced by previous experiences and expectations. This phenomenon affects the interpretation of stimuli, creating a set of mental tendencies and assumptions that impact sensory perceptions of sound, taste, touch, and sight.
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Task Interruption and Resumption Paradigm for Testing the Activation and Pursuit of an Abstract Thinking Goal
06:45

Task Interruption and Resumption Paradigm for Testing the Activation and Pursuit of an Abstract Thinking Goal

Published on: April 18, 2017

Perceived conflicts and errors in complex problem solving.

J M Unterrainer1, K S Rauss, C P Kaller

  • 1Neuropsychology, Department of Psychology, Institute of Psychology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany. josef.unterrainer@psychologie.uni-freiburg.de

Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology
|July 9, 2008
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Understanding task difficulty and performance certainty in complex problem-solving is key. This study shows subjective ratings reflect distinct executive functioning processes, aiding theories of cognitive control.

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Area of Science:

  • Cognitive Psychology
  • Neuroscience
  • Human Behavior

Background:

  • Executive functions are crucial for complex problem-solving.
  • Performance monitoring involves assessing task difficulty and solution optimality.
  • Subjective experiences of difficulty and certainty offer insights into cognitive processes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate how objective problem difficulty influences subjective ratings of difficulty and performance certainty.
  • To examine the impact of knowledge about objective difficulty on these subjective experiences.
  • To explore the relationship between subjective error awareness, processing conflicts, and executive functioning.

Main Methods:

  • A behavioral experiment using the Tower of London task with 60 healthy volunteers.
  • Participants rated task difficulty and solution optimality after each trial.
  • Experimental manipulation of participants' knowledge of objective problem difficulty.
  • Structural equation modeling to analyze relationships between subjective ratings and performance.

Main Results:

  • Objective problem difficulty significantly affected behavioral performance, subjective difficulty, and performance certainty.
  • Knowledge of objective difficulty modulated performance certainty, especially for optimally solved problems.
  • Subjective error awareness was linked to objective difficulty information for nonoptimally solved problems.
  • Structural equation modeling indicated distinct processes underlying subjective error awareness and processing conflicts.

Conclusions:

  • Subjective ratings of problem difficulty and performance certainty indicate distinct performance monitoring processes.
  • Understanding subjective experiences enhances empirical support for theories of executive functioning.
  • Complex problem-solving studies benefit from incorporating subjective performance measures.