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British Museum technique
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British Museum technique

psychology

Learn about this topic in these articles:

problem-solving algorithms

  • B.F. Skinner
    In thought: Algorithms and heuristics

    …a well-known example, the “British Museum technique,” a person wishes to find an object on display among the vast collections of the British Museum but does not know where the object is located. By pursuing a sequential examination of every object displayed in every room of the museum, the…

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problem solving
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problem solving

psychology
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problem solving, process involved in finding a solution to a problem. Many animals routinely solve problems of locomotion, food finding, and shelter through trial and error. Some higher animals, such as apes and cetaceans, have demonstrated more complex problem-solving abilities, including discrimination of abstract stimuli, rule learning, and application of language or languagelike operations. Humans use not only trial and error but also insight based on an understanding of principles, inductive and deductive reasoning, and critical or creative thinking. Problem-solving abilities and styles may vary considerably by individual.

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica This article was most recently revised and updated by Jeannette L. Nolen.
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