According to Gestalt psychologists, problem solving is best understood as a process involving which of the following?

• A. Gradual accumulation of stimulus-response associations
• B. Reinforcement of correct responses through conditioning
• C. Trial-and-error learning without any cognitive involvement
• D. Sudden insight and restructuring of the problem

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that Gestalt psychology emphasizes the holistic nature of perception and cognition, focusing on how people perceive entire patterns or configurations rather than just individual components.
2. Recognize that in the context of problem solving, Gestalt psychologists argue that solutions often come from a sudden reorganization or restructuring of the problem, rather than from gradual learning or conditioning.
3. Identify that this process is called 'insight,' where the problem solver suddenly sees the problem in a new way, leading to an immediate solution.
4. Contrast this with other approaches like trial-and-error or reinforcement learning, which involve gradual accumulation of knowledge or responses, but do not capture the sudden, cognitive restructuring emphasized by Gestalt theory.
5. Conclude that according to Gestalt psychologists, problem solving is best understood as a process involving sudden insight and restructuring of the problem, rather than gradual or conditioned learning.