Complete 6 pages APA formatted article: The Psychology of Problem-Solving. In any case, the ability of a person to cope with problematic situations depends on the level of problem-solving skills a person possesses. A part of this competence is knowing the problem-solving circle which represents a model to solve a problem, regardless of its source, or issues it touches upon.

The term problem-solving can be used to characterize a variety of activities, differing in their degree of complexity or in the amount of time needed to settle down an issue. Therefore, such cases as solving a puzzle, planning an urban place, and making a policy require resorting to the problem-solving process. Problem-solving can be defined as a mental process that consists of discovering an issue and analyzing it using the skills and knowledge needed to develop a strategy for overcoming obstacles and finding feasible solutions to solve a problem. (“Restructuring Associates”) By this, the kind of a problem, context, its source, and other implications are not clearly defined, meaning that problem-solving is common for all aspects of the life of a person.

What can be understood under a problem in this context is a situation, in which individuals appear or experience, that is different from what they would ideally expect or desire it to be. Subsequently, the problem-solving process is directed at smoothing the difference between the actual and desirable situations or achieving the ideal one. Putting following in simple words, problem-solving means a kind of effort one would make in order to reach a particular goal by means of overcoming obstacles and choosing between the possible courses of action.

As it was previously mentioned, problem-solving presupposes a process that demands from one to go through a set of discrete stages or steps that are arranged in a sequence with each subsequent step being built on the successful accomplishment of the previous step. Consequently, it is generally agreed to differentiate between the seven basic steps of the problem-solving process that make up a problem-solving circle, identified by the American psychologist Robert Sternberg. (Davidson and Sternberg 3-6)&nbsp.