Foundations of Cognitive Psychology: Preface - Preface

Table 23.2
Four monster problems

1. Monster Problem (Transfer Form 1)
   Three five-handed extraterrestrial monsters were holding three crystal globes. Because of the
   quantum-mechanical peculiarities of their neighborhood, both monsters and globes come in
   exactly threesizes with no others permitted: small, medium, andlarge.Themedium-sizedmon-
   ster was holding the small globe; the small monster was holding the large glove; and the large
   monster was holding the medium-sized globe. Because this situation offended their keenly
   developedsenseofsymmetry,theyproceededtotransferglobesfromonemonstertoanotherso
   thateachmonster wouldhave aglobe proportionate toits own size.
   Monsteretiquette complicated the solutionof the problem because it requires that:
   
   
   1. only one globe may be transferredat atime;
   
   
   2. ifa monsterisholding twoglobes,only thelargerof thetwomay betransferred;
   
   
   3. a globe may not be transferred to amonster who is holding alarger globe.
      Bywhatsequence of transferscouldthe monstershave solvedthis problem?
   
   
   
   


2. Monster Problem (Transfer Form 2)
   Threefive-handedextraterrestrialmonsterswerestandingonthreecrystalglobes.Becauseofthe
   quantum-mechanical peculiarities of their neighborhood, both monsters and globes come in
   exactly threesizes with no others permitted: small, medium, andlarge.Themedium-sizedmon-
   sterwasstandingonthesmallglobe;thesmallmonsterwasstandingonthelargeglobe;andthe
   large monster was standing on the medium-sized globe. Because this situation offended their
   keenly developed sense of symmetry, they proceeded to transfer themselves from one globe to
   anotherso that each monsterwould have a globe proportionate to itsown size.
   Monsteretiquette complicated the solutionof the problem because it requires that:
   
   
   1. only one monster maybe transferred ata time;
      2.iftwomonstersarestandingonthesameglobe,onlythelargerofthetwomaybetransferred;
   
   
   2. a monstermay not be transferred to a globe on which alarger monsterisstanding.
      Bywhatsequence of transferscouldthe monstershave solvedthis problem?
   
   
   
   


3. Monster Problem (Change Form 1)
   Three five-handed extraterrestrial monsters were holding three crystal globes. Because of the
   quantum-mechanical peculiarities of their neighborhood, both monsters and globes come in
   exactly threesizes with no others permitted: small, medium, andlarge.Themedium-sizedmon-
   ster was holding the small globe; the small monster was holding the large globe; and the large
   monster was holding the medium-sized globe. Because this situation offended their keenly
   developedsenseofsymmetry,theyproceededtoshrinkandexpandglobessothateachmonster
   wouldhaveaglobeproportionatetoitsownsize.
   Monsteretiquette complicated the solutionof the problem because it requires that:
   
   
   1. only one globe may be changedat atime;
   
   
   2. iftwoglobeshavethesamesize,onlytheglobeheldbythelargermonstermaybechanged;
   
   
   3. a globe may not be changed to the same size as the globe of alarger monster.
      Bywhatsequence of changescouldthe monsters have solvedthisproblem?
   
   
   
   


4. Monster Problem (Change Form 2)
   Three five-handed extraterrestrial monsters were holding three crystal globes. Because of the
   quantum-mechanical peculiarities of their neighborhood, both monsters and globes come in
   exactly threesizes with no others permitted: small, medium, andlarge.Themedium-sizedmon-
   ster was holding the small globe; the small monster was holding the large globe; and the large
   monster was holding the medium-sized globe. Because this situation offended their keenly
   developed sense of symmetry, they proceeded to shrink and expand themselves so that each
   monsterwouldhave a globe proportion toits own size.

562 John R.Hayes