Author Question: What are algorithms and how are they used? What will be an ideal ... (Read 46 times)

xroflmao · **on:** Jun 20, 2018

What are algorithms and how are they used?

What will be an ideal response?

Question 2

What is embodied cognition and how can it aid problem solving?

What will be an ideal response?

spencer.martell · **Reply #1 on:** Jun 20, 2018

Answer to Question 1

Algorithms are sets of procedures (in a problem space) that may be repeated over and over again and that, in theory, guarantee the solution to a problem. Generally, an algorithm continues until it satisfies a condition determined by a program.

Answer to Question 2

Embodied cognition is the theory that the mind influences the body and the body influences the mind. According to theories of embodied cognition, our bodies' interactions with the physical world influence our cognitive processes.

In a study on embodied cognition, participants worked on problems in a variety of conditions, for example, sitting inside or outside of an actual cardboard box or walking around freely as opposed to along a fixed line along the floor (Leung et al., 2012). The researchers found that when we physically enact metaphors that are related to problem solving (like putting two and two together or thinking outside the box), our ability to solve the problems is enhanced.

To take advantage of physical motions to solve problems, it is likely important, however, that we have enough spatial working-memory capacity at our disposal. One study had participants work on the radiation problem (presented earlier in this chapter) and found that participants who made eye movements that embodied the solution of the problem were more successful than participants who made unrelated eye movements. Performing related eye movements did not help, however, if participants' spatial working memory was overloaded