ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the lasting contribution of Duncker's approach by his original theorizing, giving close attention to his perspective on the problem situation as a whole unit of activity, involving: the givens of the situation, the person's solution and the productive thinking processes. It addresses how Duncker's emphases are relevant to contemporary discussions of the contextualization and situatedness of cognition, and relevant to discussions about the effectiveness of individualized cognitive processes. The chapter describes that Duncker provides an account of problem solving that can assist the psychological researcher to address some of the thorny problems that are encountered when the environment and the person are bound together in research and life settings. Duncker's dual concerns the specifics of the situation and their unity have direct relevance to two contemporary issues that revolve around the contexts of cognitive activity. The chapter suggests some ways that Duncker's ideas can extend and refine research on the processes of problem solving.
