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%A Z. F. Shao %A Y. F. Liu %A Y. P. Zhong %J Psychological Science %T Research on Problem Difficulty (in Chinese) %X This paper examines some sources of problem difficulty with the tool of a new type of artificial problems. The sources are: 1) the number of known variables: it has no effects on problem difficulty. 2) the number of unknown variables: problem difficulty will increase when it increases. 3) whether prompting the names are not prompted. 4) the arrangement of variables; problem difficulty will increase if variables are arranged in disorder. 5) the number of operations (processes) to choose; problem difficulty will increase when it increases. 6) the similarity of the operations to choose: problem difficulty will increase when operations are similar. 7) the style of presentation of the former problems; it can change the likelihood that the attributes of problems enter man?s sphere of consciousness; problem difficulty will increase when the attributes of the former problems are unlikely to enter man?s sphere of consciousness. %K problem solving, problem difficulty, artificial problem %P 278-281 %V 19 %D 1996 %L cogprints5657