Solving a problemcan be broken down into several steps.First,the problem must be identifiedcorrectly.Psychologists refer to this step as problem representation.For many

problems,a figuringout which information is relevant and which is irrelevant can be difficult andcan interfere with arriving at a good solution.Clearly,a problem can be

solved,it must beobvious what the problem is; however,this is not as easy as it might seem.Oneobstacle to efficient problem representation is functional fixedness,that

is,allowingpreconceived notions and even prejudices to color the facts. Most people tendto see objects and events in certain fixed ways,and by being inflexible inviewing

the problem,they maybe unable to notice the tools for the solution.

Once the problem isidentified accurately,however,the second step consists of considering the alternativesfor a solution.A common way to evaluate alternatives is to write

them down and thenmake a list of advantages and disadvantages for each solution. Hereagain,people may be limited by prior experiences.Often people adopt mental setsthat

lead them to thesame problem-solving strategies that were successful for problems in the past.Although that can be helpful most of the time, sometimes a new situation

requires a differentstrategy. In that case,the mental set must be abandoned,and new alternativesmust be explored.This can be a difficult adjustment for some people.

After thealternatives have been compared,a strategy must be selected from among them.Oneway to avoid becoming stuck in the options is to try the best option with aview

to abandoning it foranother if the results are unfavorable.This attitude allows many people to moveon expeditiously to the next step—action.The strategy selected must be

implemented andtested.If it solves the problem,no further action is necessary,but if not,then anunsuccessful solution may actually lead to a more successful option.If the

solution is stillnot apparent,then the cycle begins again,starting with problemidentification.By continuing to review the problem and repeat theproblem-solving steps,the

solution can beimproved upon and refined.

One way to avoid beingstuck in the different options to solve the problem is to________.

A.stick to the bestoption

B.compare theadvantages and disadvantages of different options

C.ask other peoplefor advice

D.try the bestoption but be ready to abandon it once it turns out to be not good