In describing a new problem you are having with your computer, your boss interrupts and states, "I had the same problem last week. It's something to do with the network."
Which conceptual block could be inhibiting your boss's creative problem-solving approach?
A) Vertical thinking
B) Artificial constraints
C) Stereotyping
D) Ignoring commonalities
Answer: C
Explanation: A) Incorrect. Vertical thinking is a form of constancy. Your boss has not doggedly pursued a single problem definition without considering alternative definitions. Here, your boss is merely assuming that the current problem is a variation on the past problems. He has fallen victim to the conceptual block of stereotyping.
B) Incorrect. Artificial constraints are those conceptual blocks that cause you to define a problem so narrowly that it is impossible to solve. Here, your boss is assuming that the current problem is a variation on the past problems. He has fallen victim to the conceptual block of stereotyping.
C) Correct. Here, your boss is assuming that the current problem is a variation on the past problems. He has fallen victim to the conceptual block of stereotyping.
D) Incorrect. Ignoring commonalities occurs when an individual fails to identify similarities between disparate pieces of data. Here, your boss is assuming that the current problem is a variation on the past problems. He has fallen victim to the conceptual block of stereotyping.
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