Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Problem-Solving01:29

Problem-Solving

99
Effective problem-solving consists of two steps: 1. identifying the problem and 2. selecting the appropriate problem-solving strategy (i.e., a plan of action used to find a solution). Humans use four problem-solving strategies:
99
Heuristics01:21

Heuristics

58
Heuristics are problem-solving strategies that use mental shortcuts to simplify decision-making. Unlike algorithms, which must be followed precisely to achieve a correct result, heuristics offer a general problem-solving framework. They save time and energy but can sometimes lead to less rational decisions.
People often rely on heuristics when faced with an overload of information, limited time, low importance of the decision, limited information, or when a heuristic readily comes to mind. For...
58
Cognitive Learning01:21

Cognitive Learning

108
Cognitive learning is based on purposive behavior, incidental learning, and insight learning.
E. C. Tolman's theory of purposive behavior emphasizes that much behavior is goal-directed. He argued that to understand behavior, we must look at the entire sequence of actions leading to a goal. For instance, high school students study hard, not just due to past reinforcement but also to achieve the goal of getting into a good college.
Tolman introduced the idea that behavior is influenced by...
108
The Availability Heuristic01:08

The Availability Heuristic

5.9K
A heuristic is a general problem-solving framework (Tversky & Kahneman, 1974). You can think of these as mental shortcuts that are used to solve problems. Different types of heuristics are used in different types of situations, and the impulse to use a heuristic occurs when one of five conditions is met (Pratkanis, 1989):
5.9K
Depth Perception and Spatial Vision01:15

Depth Perception and Spatial Vision

483
Depth perception is the ability to perceive objects three-dimensionally. It relies on two types of cues: binocular and monocular. Binocular cues depend on the combination of images from both eyes and how the eyes work together. Since the eyes are in slightly different positions, each eye captures a slightly different image. This disparity between images, known as binocular disparity, helps the brain interpret depth. When the brain compares these images, it determines the distance to an object.
483
Schemas01:42

Schemas

11.5K
A schema is a mental construct consisting of a cluster or collection of related concepts (Bartlett, 1932). There are many different types of schemata, and they all have one thing in common: schemata are a method of organizing information that allows the brain to work more efficiently. When a schema is activated, the brain makes immediate assumptions about the person or object being observed.
11.5K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Exposure to false cardiac feedback alters pain perception and anticipatory cardiac frequency.

eLife·2026
Same author

Gaze dynamics prior to navigation support hierarchical planning.

PloS one·2026
Same author

Usability, Acceptability, and Feasibility of a Personalized Adaptive Mirror Therapy for Upper-Limb Poststroke Rehabilitation Using Immersive Virtual Reality and Myoelectric Control: Single-Arm Pre-Post Study.

JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologies·2026
Same author

Limb apraxia and active inference in the visuomotor pathways.

Psychonomic bulletin & review·2026
Same author

The continuous dynamics of planning and acting in a virtually embodied task.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2026
Same author

False but phonologically plausible linguistic priors induce cross-linguistic auditory illusions and attenuate electrophysiological markers of surprise.

Imaging neuroscience (Cambridge, Mass.)·2026
Same journal

Desert lizards modulate nutritional responses to match seasonal biological needs.

Royal Society open science·2026
Same journal

Multi-generational fidelity, ecological and social determinants of roosting in a cooperatively breeding bird (<i>Argya squamiceps</i>).

Royal Society open science·2025
Same journal

Multifaceted polarization and information reliability in climate change discussions on social media platforms.

Royal Society open science·2025
Same journal

Comparing the kinematics related to inflicted head injury between violent shaking of a 6-week-old and a 1-year-old infant surrogate.

Royal Society open science·2025
Same journal

Partner choice increases observed reciprocity-based cooperation but decreases unobserved stake-based cooperation.

Royal Society open science·2025
Same journal

Importation models for travel-related SARS-CoV-2 cases reported in Newfoundland and Labrador during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Royal Society open science·2025
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 15, 2025

Problem-Solving Before Instruction PS-I: A Protocol for Assessment and Intervention in Students with Different Abilities
10:26

Problem-Solving Before Instruction PS-I: A Protocol for Assessment and Intervention in Students with Different Abilities

Published on: September 11, 2021

3.8K

Adaptive planning depth in human problem-solving.

Mattia Eluchans1,2, Gian Luca Lancia1,2, Antonella Maselli1,3

  • 1Institute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies, National Research Council, Rome, Italy.

Royal Society Open Science
|April 10, 2025
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Humans adapt their planning strategies, selecting initial plan depths based on problem complexity. This demonstrates a bounded rational process, optimizing cognitive resource allocation for effective problem-solving.

Keywords:
bounded rationalitycognitive searchplanningproblem-solving

More Related Videos

The Adventures of Fundi Intervention Based on the Cognitive and Emotional Processing in Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder Patients
05:48

The Adventures of Fundi Intervention Based on the Cognitive and Emotional Processing in Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder Patients

Published on: June 12, 2020

5.6K
Spatial Multiobjective Optimization of Agricultural Conservation Practices using a SWAT Model and an Evolutionary Algorithm
11:53

Spatial Multiobjective Optimization of Agricultural Conservation Practices using a SWAT Model and an Evolutionary Algorithm

Published on: December 9, 2012

12.9K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 15, 2025

Problem-Solving Before Instruction PS-I: A Protocol for Assessment and Intervention in Students with Different Abilities
10:26

Problem-Solving Before Instruction PS-I: A Protocol for Assessment and Intervention in Students with Different Abilities

Published on: September 11, 2021

3.8K
The Adventures of Fundi Intervention Based on the Cognitive and Emotional Processing in Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder Patients
05:48

The Adventures of Fundi Intervention Based on the Cognitive and Emotional Processing in Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder Patients

Published on: June 12, 2020

5.6K
Spatial Multiobjective Optimization of Agricultural Conservation Practices using a SWAT Model and an Evolutionary Algorithm
11:53

Spatial Multiobjective Optimization of Agricultural Conservation Practices using a SWAT Model and an Evolutionary Algorithm

Published on: December 9, 2012

12.9K

Area of Science:

  • Cognitive Science
  • Decision Making
  • Human Problem Solving

Background:

  • Human problem-solving capabilities are extensive but adaptive strategies remain incompletely understood.
  • Challenging planning problems require strategic approaches to cognitive resource management.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the adaptive strategies humans employ in planning tasks of varying complexity.
  • To compare human performance against computational planning models.

Main Methods:

  • Designed problem-solving tasks with planning requirements across different depths (1-8 subgoals).
  • Systematically compared participant performance with established planning models.
  • Analyzed the relationship between task demands and selected planning depth.

Main Results:

  • Participants adaptively selected initial plan depths, matching them to the minimum required for each problem.
  • A tendency to choose the minimum necessary planning depth was observed, rather than a fixed depth for all tasks.
  • Human performance aligned with models exhibiting bounded rationality.

Conclusions:

  • Human problem-solving demonstrates bounded rationality, adapting cognitive resource investment to task-specific demands.
  • The selection of planning depth is a flexible and adaptive cognitive process.
  • Findings contribute to understanding how cognitive systems manage limited resources efficiently.