Final answer:
Cognitive complexity refers to the preference for detailed, intricate, and complex thoughts and solutions, differing from cognitive biases like confirmation bias or functional fixedness.
Step-by-step explanation:
The preference for elaborate, intricate, and complex thoughts and solutions to problems is referred to as cognitive complexity. This term describes a person's tendency to perceive nuance and a multiplicity of perspectives in a given situation. It contrasts with various cognitive biases such as confirmation bias, which refers to the tendency to focus on information that confirms one's pre-existing beliefs or hypotheses, and functional fixedness, which is the inability to see a known object or tool as having a use different from its traditional one. It's important to note that cognitive complexity is distinct from these biases and is not about seeking information that only supports existing stereotypes or becoming fixated on a single piece of information. Instead, it's about embracing complexity and being open to multiple potential solutions to a problem.