Representational Change and the Use of Metaphors in Problem Solving: The Winding Roots of Understanding

The book explores how structured mental representations of problems arise and change, proposing an exploratory study with complex, open-ended problems. It presents a qualitative case study of participants working on a mental paper folding task, tracing their thinking through gestures, metaphors, and complex descriptions. The book proposes a framework of problem solving that accommodates associative, motivational, and affective factors, appealing to researchers, academics, and postgraduate students in cognitive science, psychology, philosophy of mind and cognition, and cognitive artificial intelligence.

Format: Hardback
Length: 216 pages
Publication date: 07 July 2023
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

This comprehensive work delves into a longstanding challenge in problem-solving research: the emergence and potential alteration of structured mental representations for problem-solving. By challenging established theories that may overlook this critical aspect, the book proposes a fresh approach. It suggests temporarily suspending methodological constraints, such as the emphasis on well-defined puzzle tasks, and instead embarking on exploratory studies with more complex and open-ended problems. Through a qualitative case study involving participants engaged in a mental paper folding task designed to challenge them to construct their representations, the book meticulously tracks the evolution of their thinking. By combining in-depth empirical investigation with theoretical development, the book presents a novel framework of problem-solving that encompasses associative, motivational, and affective factors. This groundbreaking book will captivate researchers, academics, and postgraduate students in the domains of cognitive science, psychology, philosophy of mind and cognition, and cognitive artificial intelligence. Its insights and innovative framework will contribute to advancing our understanding of problem-solving processes and their role in human cognition.

Weight: 570g
Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032321363