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What is the XY problem?

An XY problem seems to be a subset of the Einstellung effect, where a problem-solver gets stuck on a particular solution and is unable to backtrack mentally to see potentially superior solutions. This psychological phenomenon affects everyone, novices and experts alike.

"Why Your First Idea Can Blind You to a Better One" explains an example from chess where a person wins with a 5-move smothered mate in one game. The next game, the same player fails to see a faster 3-move mate because they are stuck on the idea of a 5-move mate.

Specific to Q&A, the perniciousness of an XY problem comes from the fact that it is frustrating for everyone involved:

1. The person asking the question asks the wrong question (which is related to their attempted solution rather than the original problem), and then finds it difficult to clarify the question because they are stuck on their own solution. The proposed answers are unsatisfactory because they don't address how to implement the author's solution.
2. People answering the question find it frustrating because the proposed solution doesn't make sense to them since they are approaching the problem from a fresh angle and are (presumably) not being affected by the Einstellung effect, and they find it difficult to get the original poster to clarify their question.

When asking questions, how do I recognize when I'm falling into it?

For example, you are trying to solve an issue: how to compost your household organic waste. When considering how to solve the problem, you might think of several potential solutions: compost with a municipal government program, do backyard composting, or compost with worms. Let's say that a municipal program is not available and you pick to do backyard composting. You soon end up with a blocker: there are rats getting into your compost, and they're invading your kitchen too! You go onto a Q&A forum and ask, "How do I get rid of the rats in my kitchen?"

You have just fallen into the XY problem! You might get useful answers on how to get rid of pests, but no-one will be able to solve your problem because they're not addressing the source of the problem and the rats keep coming back.

How do I avoid it?

It might be better for you to ask the Q&A forum about how to solve the original issue you were trying to solve. e.g. ask, "How should I compost my household waste?" Then you might learn that you shouldn't compost meat or dairy products in a backyard compost bin because they can attract pests.

What is the XY problem?

An XY problem seems to be a subset of the Einstellung effect, where a problem-solver gets stuck on a particular solution and is unable to backtrack mentally to see potentially superior solutions. This psychological phenomenon affects everyone, novices and experts alike.

"Why Your First Idea Can Blind You to a Better One" explains an example from chess where a person wins with a 5-move smothered mate in one game. The next game, the same player fails to see a faster 3-move mate because they are stuck on the idea of a 5-move mate.

Specific to Q&A, the perniciousness of an XY problem comes from the fact that it is frustrating for everyone involved:

1. The person asking the question asks the wrong question (which is related to their attempted solution rather than the original problem), and then finds it difficult to clarify the question because they are stuck on their own solution. The proposed answers are unsatisfactory because they don't address how to implement the author's solution.
2. People answering the question find it frustrating because the proposed solution doesn't make sense to them since they are approaching the problem from a fresh angle and are (presumably) not being affected by the Einstellung effect, and they find it difficult to get the original poster to clarify their question.

When asking questions, how do I recognize when I'm falling into it?

For example, you are trying to solve an issue: how to compost your household organic waste. When considering how to solve the problem, you might think of several potential solutions: compost with a municipal government program, do backyard composting, or compost with worms. Let's say that a municipal program is not available and you pick to do backyard composting. You soon end up with a blocker: there are rats getting into your compost, and they're invading your kitchen too! You go onto a Q&A forum and ask, "How do I get rid of the rats in my kitchen?"

You have just fallen into the XY problem! You might get useful answers on how to get rid of pests, but no-one will be able to solve your problem because they're not addressing the source of the problem and the rats keep coming back.

How do I avoid it?

It might be better for you to ask the Q&A forum about how to solve the original issue you were trying to solve. e.g. ask, "How should I compost my household waste?" Then you might learn that you shouldn't compost meat or dairy products in a backyard compost bin because they can attract pests.

An XY problem seems to be a subset of the Einstellung effect, where a problem-solver gets stuck on a particular solution and is unable to backtrack mentally to see potentially superior solutions. This psychological phenomenon affects everyone, novices and experts alike.

"Why Your First Idea Can Blind You to a Better One" explains an example from chess where a person wins with a 5-move smothered mate in one game. The next game, the same player fails to see a faster 3-move mate because they are stuck on the idea of a 5-move mate.

Specific to Q&A, the perniciousness of an XY problem comes from the fact that it is frustrating for everyone involved:

1. The person asking the question asks the wrong question (which is related to their attempted solution rather than the original problem), and then finds it difficult to clarify the question because they are stuck on their own solution. The proposed answers are unsatisfactory because they don't address how to implement the author's solution.
2. People answering the question find it frustrating because the proposed solution doesn't make sense to them since they are approaching the problem from a fresh angle and are (presumably) not being affected by the Einstellung effect, and they find it difficult to get the original poster to clarify their question.

What is the XY problem?

An XY problem seems to be a subset of the Einstellung effect, where a problem-solver gets stuck on a particular solution and is unable to backtrack mentally to see potentially superior solutions. This psychological phenomenon affects everyone, novices and experts alike.

"Why Your First Idea Can Blind You to a Better One" explains an example from chess where a person wins with a 5-move smothered mate in one game. The next game, the same player fails to see a faster 3-move mate because they are stuck on the idea of a 5-move mate.

Specific to Q&A, the perniciousness of an XY problem comes from the fact that it is frustrating for everyone involved:

1. The person asking the question asks the wrong question (which is related to their attempted solution rather than the original problem), and then finds it difficult to clarify the question because they are stuck on their own solution. The proposed answers are unsatisfactory because they don't address how to implement the author's solution.
2. People answering the question find it frustrating because the proposed solution doesn't make sense to them since they are approaching the problem from a fresh angle and are (presumably) not being affected by the Einstellung effect, and they find it difficult to get the original poster to clarify their question.

When asking questions, how do I recognize when I'm falling into it?

For example, you are trying to solve an issue: how to compost your household organic waste. When considering how to solve the problem, you might think of several potential solutions: compost with a municipal government program, do backyard composting, or compost with worms. Let's say that a municipal program is not available and you pick to do backyard composting. You soon end up with a blocker: there are rats getting into your compost, and they're invading your kitchen too! You go onto a Q&A forum and ask, "How do I get rid of the rats in my kitchen?"

You have just fallen into the XY problem! You might get useful answers on how to get rid of pests, but no-one will be able to solve your problem because they're not addressing the source of the problem and the rats keep coming back.

How do I avoid it?

It might be better for you to ask the Q&A forum about how to solve the original issue you were trying to solve. e.g. ask, "How should I compost my household waste?" Then you might learn that you shouldn't compost meat or dairy products in a backyard compost bin because they can attract pests.

An XY problem seems to be a subset of the Einstellung effect, where a problem-solver gets stuck on a particular solution and is unable to backtrack mentally to see potentially superior solutions. This psychological phenomenon affects everyone, novices and experts alike.

"Why Your First Idea Can Blind You to a Better One" explains an example from chess where a person winning with a 5-move smothered mate in one game. The next game, the same player fails to see a faster 3-move mate because they are stuck on the idea of a 5-move mate.

Specific to Q&A, the perniciousness of an XY problem comes from the fact that it is frustrating for everyone involved:

1. The person asking the question asks the wrong question (which is related to their attempted solution rather than the original problem), and then finds it difficult to clarify the question because they are stuck on their own solution. The proposed answers are unsatisfactory because they don't address how to implement the author's solution.
2. People answering the question find it frustrating because the proposed solution doesn't make sense to them since they are approaching the problem from a fresh angle and are (presumably) not being affected by the Einstellung effect, and they find it difficult to get the original poster to clarify their question.

An XY problem seems to be a subset of the Einstellung effect, where a problem-solver gets stuck on a particular solution and is unable to backtrack mentally to see potentially superior solutions. This psychological phenomenon affects everyone, novices and experts alike.

"Why Your First Idea Can Blind You to a Better One" explains an example from chess where a person wins with a 5-move smothered mate in one game. The next game, the same player fails to see a faster 3-move mate because they are stuck on the idea of a 5-move mate.

Specific to Q&A, the perniciousness of an XY problem comes from the fact that it is frustrating for everyone involved:

1. The person asking the question asks the wrong question (which is related to their attempted solution rather than the original problem), and then finds it difficult to clarify the question because they are stuck on their own solution. The proposed answers are unsatisfactory because they don't address how to implement the author's solution.
2. People answering the question find it frustrating because the proposed solution doesn't make sense to them since they are approaching the problem from a fresh angle and are (presumably) not being affected by the Einstellung effect, and they find it difficult to get the original poster to clarify their question.