A. Newell and H. Simon, GPS, A Program that Simulates Human Thought. Computers and Thought, E. A. Feigenbaum and J. Feldman (eds.), R. Oldenbourg KG., 1963.

Author of the summary: J. William Murdock, 1997, murdock@cc.gatech.edu

Cite this paper for:

• Means-ends analysis constitutes a reasonable model for human problem solving competence in some situations.

Keywords: Means-Ends Analysis, Problem Solving, Search

Systems: GPS (General Problem Solver)

Summary: Compares the behavior of GPS to a psychological protocol of
an inexperienced human working on performing a transformation of a
logical assertion.  Analyzes the protocol in the language of goals as
desired states and operators as transformations over states.  Notes
that the GPS trace is largely a subset of the subject's behavior.

Summary author's notes:

• This summary came from a file which had the following disclaimer: "The following summaries are the completely unedited and often hastily composed interpretations of a single individual without any sort of systematic or considered review. As such it is very likely that at least some of the following text is incomplete, inadequate, misleading, or simply wrong. One might view this as a very preliminary draft of a survey paper that will probably never be completed. The author disclaims all responsibility for the accuracy or use of this document; this is not an official publication of the Georgia Institute of Technology or the College of Computing thereof, and the opinions expressed here may not even fully match the fully considered opinions of the author much less the general opinions of the aformentioned organizations."