backtrack search

a graph search strategy that considers states in a graph recursively. If the present state is not the goal state, then its first child (node) is examined. If this child is not the goal state, then its first child is taken. If there are no children of a state, then the next sibling of the present state is considered. If there are no further siblings of a state, then the sibling of the state’s parent has to be considered. This process continues until either a goal state is found or there are no further states to examine. States, their siblings, and their children are usually (but not necessarily) considered in a left-to-right format.

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Psychology term of the day

May 9th 2024

groupthink

n. a strong concurrence-seeking tendency that interferes with effective group decision making. Symptoms include apparent unanimity, illusions of invulnerability and moral correctness, biased perceptions of the outgroup, interpersonal pressure, self-censorship, and defective decision-making strategies. Causes are thought to include group cohesion and isolation, poor leadership, and the stress involved in making decisions. [identified by Irving L. Janis]