Planning and Problem Solving: Differences between Brazilian and German Students

In cognitive psychology, there is an increasing interest in problem solving and planning processes in complex and ill-defined situations. To examine cultural differences in planning processes, two instruments are used both with Brazilian and German university students (n = 38 each) as participants: the Planning Inventory, which consists of everyday problem scenarios, and the Coldstorage, which is a computer-simulated dynamic problem. In the Planning Inventory, Brazilian participants accept the given descriptions and are more optimistic about the results of their efforts. German participants tend to inquire more about the background of the problems and take a more active approach but are less optimistic. In the Coldstorage simulation, the Brazilian participants have more difficulties in controlling the system. This is attributed to their presence orientation, which makes it difficult to detect developmental patterns. The results are discussed following a functional perspective that interprets cognitive processes within their ecocultural context.