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Zhang Z, Li Y, Zeng Y, Deng J, Xing Q, Luo J. The involvement of decomposition and composition processes in restructuring during problem solving. Conscious Cogn 2024; 121:103685. [PMID: 38598896 DOI: 10.1016/j.concog.2024.103685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2023] [Revised: 03/19/2024] [Accepted: 04/01/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024]
Abstract
Decomposition of chunks has been widely accepted as a critical proxy of restructuring, but the role of composition in forming new representations has been largely neglected. This study aims to investigate the roles of both decomposition and composition processes in chunk restructuring, as well as their relationships with "aha" experiences during problem-solving. Participants were asked to move a part of a character to another character to create two new characters. Across three experiments, the characters to be decomposed or composed were varied in terms of tight or loose chunks. The results showed that decomposition or composition of tight chunks led to lower success rates, longer response times, and significantly stronger "Aha!" emotional experiences (mainly in terms of surprise and suddenness). This study provides evidence for the contribution of both decomposition and composition processes to restructuring in creative insight.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhonglu Zhang
- Department of Psychology, School of Education, Guangzhou University, China.
| | - Yizhu Li
- Department of Psychology, School of Education, Guangzhou University, China.
| | - Yuxin Zeng
- Department of Psychology, School of Education, Guangzhou University, China.
| | - Jiamin Deng
- Department of Psychology, School of Education, Guangzhou University, China.
| | - Qiang Xing
- Department of Psychology, School of Education, Guangzhou University, China.
| | - Jing Luo
- School of Psychology, Capital Normal University, China.
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Nagornova ZV, Shemyakina NV. Impact of Competitive Conditions on Amplitudes of Event-Related Potentials during Verbal Creative and Noncreative Task Performance. J EVOL BIOCHEM PHYS+ 2023. [DOI: 10.1134/s0022093023010039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/15/2023]
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3
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Zhou L, Yan H, Ren J, Li F, Luo J, Huang F. Cognitive control of invalid predominant ideas in insight-like problem solving. Psychophysiology 2022; 59:e14133. [PMID: 35751854 DOI: 10.1111/psyp.14133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2021] [Revised: 06/05/2022] [Accepted: 06/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Predominant ordinary ideas are insufficient for solving insight-like problems; they interfere with subordinate original ideas and can produce a mental impasse. However, how people monitor and control invalid predominant ideas remains largely unknown. In the current study, participants were asked to solve a sequence of several similar practice problems that had the same solution to strengthen a predominant idea; the participants were then presented with an insight-like test problem that could not be solved by the predominant idea. The results showed that if the test problem was similar to the practice problems in which the predominant idea could typically be applied, it elicited greater late sustained potential (LSP) over the whole brain but no conflict-related N2 or N400 components, which suggests that the participants did not experience cognitive conflict and continued to verify the predominant but currently invalid idea. When the test problem differed from the practice problems, the items that participants reported trying to solve elicited greater N2-N400 and LSP over the whole brain, which suggests that the participants experienced cognitive conflict and exerted more reactive control over the invalid predominant idea; in contrast, the items that participants reported thinking about how to solve did not evoke greater conflict-related N2-N400 components and evoked even lower LSP, which likely indicates an ineffective state. These findings demonstrate three kinds of cognitive control toward invalid predominant ideas in situations where they are typically and not typically applied and provide empirical evidence of a mental impasse in insight-like problem-solving behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liyu Zhou
- School of Psychology, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang, China
| | - Haiqiong Yan
- School of Psychology, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang, China
| | - Jingyuan Ren
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Rodboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Fuhong Li
- School of Psychology, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang, China
| | - Jing Luo
- School of Psychology, Capital Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Furong Huang
- School of Psychology, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang, China
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Expectations attenuate the negative influence of neural adaptation on the processing of novel stimuli: ERP evidence. Neuroscience 2022; 492:58-66. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2022.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2021] [Revised: 04/02/2022] [Accepted: 04/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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Tang S, Jia L, Ren J, Li F, Luo J, Huang F. Reactive control in evaluating appropriately or inappropriately novel ideas: Evidence from electrophysiological measures. Psychophysiology 2022; 59:e14010. [PMID: 35114025 DOI: 10.1111/psyp.14010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2020] [Revised: 12/15/2021] [Accepted: 01/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Novelty and appropriateness have been considered two necessary criteria to distinguish creative ideas, but little is known about what kind of reactive control people will make when they evaluate appropriately or inappropriately novel ideas. To study this issue, high-density technology was used to record electroencephalography (EEG) signals when participants were evaluating ideas in novel & appropriate, novel & inappropriate, ordinary & appropriate, and ordinary & inappropriate conditions. An analysis of event-related potentials (ERPs) revealed that greater conflict detection-related N2 and N400-like components over the anterior scalp appeared in novel conditions than in ordinary conditions, suggesting that people are able to rapidly monitor novel ideas. Afterward, the mean amplitudes of the LPC over the left anterior scalp were greater in novel & appropriate condition than ordinary & appropriate condition, but no difference was found between novel & appropriate and novel & inappropriate conditions, which likely displayed much more reactive control was recruited to handle novel ideas and no additional control was recruited when the novel ideas were inappropriate. In addition, the mean amplitudes of the LPC/LNC over the posterior scalp were greater in novel than ordinary conditions and were also greater in inappropriate than appropriate conditions, which likely reflected the processing difficulties of conceptual understanding. These findings revealed the early rise monitoring, conceptual understanding, and reactive control mechanism underlying the evaluation of novel ideas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuang Tang
- School of Psychology, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang, China
| | - Lujia Jia
- School of Psychology, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang, China
| | - Jingyuan Ren
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Rodboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Fuhong Li
- School of Psychology, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang, China
| | - Jing Luo
- School of Psychology, Capital Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Furong Huang
- School of Psychology, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang, China
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Tang S, Jia L, Liu M, Ren J, Li F, Luo J, Huang F. The dynamic monitoring and control mechanism in problem solving: Evidence from theta and alpha oscillations. Int J Psychophysiol 2021; 170:112-120. [PMID: 34699862 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2021.10.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2021] [Revised: 09/22/2021] [Accepted: 10/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Although both originality and value are considered necessary criteria to identify creative ideas, little is known about how original and valuable ideas are generated in the human brain. To reveal how people monitor and control ongoing processing in the pursuit of original and valuable ideas, high-density electroencephalography (EEG) was used to record electrophysiological signals when participants were performing chunk decomposition tasks via novel-appropriate, novel-inappropriate, ordinary-appropriate and ordinary-inappropriate pathways. The results showed that approximately 100 ms after the problem was presented, novel pathways showed increased theta synchronization in the frontal sites compared to ordinary pathways. Novel pathways were associated with increased alpha desynchronization over the entire brain scale. These theta and alpha oscillations likely indicated rapid monitoring and effective control of novel processing in thinking. In the latter stages of problem solving, particularly during the 2000-2600-ms intervals, increased theta synchronization with decreased alpha desynchronization was found between novel-inappropriate and novel-appropriate pathways, which likely indicated slow monitoring and less control of inappropriate processing in novel thinking. The findings demonstrated the dynamic monitoring and control mechanism in the pursuit of original and valuable ideas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuang Tang
- School of Psychology, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang 330022, China
| | - Lujia Jia
- School of Psychology, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang 330022, China
| | - Mingzhu Liu
- Nanchang Institute of Technology, Nanchang 330044, China
| | - Jingyuan Ren
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Rodboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen 6525EN, Netherlands
| | - Fuhong Li
- School of Psychology, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang 330022, China
| | - Jing Luo
- School of Psychology, Capital Normal University, Beijing 100048, China
| | - Furong Huang
- School of Psychology, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang 330022, China.
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Stuyck H, Aben B, Cleeremans A, Van den Bussche E. The Aha! moment: Is insight a different form of problem solving? Conscious Cogn 2021; 90:103055. [PMID: 33721581 DOI: 10.1016/j.concog.2020.103055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2020] [Revised: 10/06/2020] [Accepted: 11/12/2020] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
In everyday life, we mainly solve problems with a conscious solution search (non-insight). However, sometimes a perplexing problem is resolved by a quantum leap in understanding. This phenomenon is known as the Aha! experience (insight). Although insight has a distinct phenomenological and behavioral signature, its driving mechanism remains debated. Weisberg (2015) proposed an integrated theory of insight arguing that insight, like non-insight, mainly depends on conscious, cognitive operations with restructuring as a distinguishing feature of insight. However, only if those operations lead to an impasse, insight is achieved through unconscious processes. We assessed some of the premises of this theory by asking participants (N = 42) to solve 70 word puzzles (CRAT) that can either be solved with insight or non-insight. For each puzzle, participants indicated word puzzle difficulty, solution confidence, solution suddenness, and the experiences of impasse and restructuring. As expected, participants reported higher suddenness of and confidence in insight solutions than non-insightful ones. Surprisingly, we could not corroborate the otherwise consistently reported higher solution accuracy and faster solution speed for insight. Crucially, as suggested by the integrated theory of insight, impasse was not a prerequisite for insight to occur. Although restructuring, indeed, preceded insight solutions more often, it seemed a more general problem-solving skill also applied for non-insight solutions. Moreover, early on, participants reported an increased experience of problem difficulty for puzzles later solved with insight. This ability to report on the solution search of insight demonstrates that, as proposed by the theory, insight involves conscious, cognitive operations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hans Stuyck
- KU Leuven, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Brain and Cognition, Tiensestraat 102, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; Université Libre de Bruxelles, Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences, Center for Research in Cognition and Neurosciences, Franklin Rooseveltlaan 50, 1050 Brussel, Belgium; Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Cognitive Psychology Research Group, Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Elsene, Belgium.
| | - Bart Aben
- KU Leuven, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Brain and Cognition, Tiensestraat 102, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; Ghent University, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Department of Experimental Psychology, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Axel Cleeremans
- Université Libre de Bruxelles, Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences, Center for Research in Cognition and Neurosciences, Franklin Rooseveltlaan 50, 1050 Brussel, Belgium
| | - Eva Van den Bussche
- KU Leuven, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Brain and Cognition, Tiensestraat 102, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
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Zhang Z, Lei Y, Xing Q, Li H. Left-hemispheric predominance on appropriateness evaluation of restructuring during chunk decomposition problem solving. Psychophysiology 2021; 58:e13778. [PMID: 33543773 DOI: 10.1111/psyp.13778] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2020] [Revised: 12/15/2020] [Accepted: 01/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Restructuring refers to achieving satisfactory solutions by breaking obstacles or forming novel associations in problem-solving. One critical question arises regarding how an appropriate solution is processed in our brain during the restructuring of problem representations. This study aims to explore the electrophysiological correlates of appropriateness evaluation of restructuring by employing a chunk decomposition task. During loose or tight chunk decomposition, participants needed to assess whether they could get a valid solution after probe removal from a source character chunk. As reflected by the late positive complex, the processing of appropriateness exhibited the greatest effect (appropriate vs. inappropriate) in left parietal regions for tight chunk decomposition, but exhibited insignificant differences across most brain regions for loose chunk decomposition. This study provides the first primary electrophysiological evidence that both hemispheres contribute to and the left hemisphere plays a predominant role in evaluating the appropriateness of restructuring in problem solving.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhonglu Zhang
- Department of Psychology, School of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yi Lei
- Institute of Brain and Psychological Science, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu, China.,Shenzhen Institute of Neuroscience, Shenzhen, China
| | - Qiang Xing
- Department of Psychology, School of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Hong Li
- Institute of Brain and Psychological Science, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu, China.,Shenzhen Institute of Neuroscience, Shenzhen, China
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Zhang Z, Warren CM, Lei Y, Xing Q, Li H. Stimulus complexity and chunk tightness interact to impede perceptual restructuring during problem solving. Biol Psychol 2020; 155:107930. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2020.107930] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2019] [Revised: 07/01/2020] [Accepted: 07/13/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Zhang Z, Lu Z, Warren CM, Rong C, Xing Q. The late parietal event-related potential component is hierarchically sensitive to chunk tightness during chunk decomposition. Cogn Neurodyn 2020; 14:501-508. [PMID: 32655713 DOI: 10.1007/s11571-020-09590-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2019] [Revised: 03/29/2020] [Accepted: 04/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The current study analyzed event-related potentials (ERPs) associated with visuo-spatial transformation in order to examine how "chunk tightness" affects the difficulty of chunk decomposition problems. Participants completed a Chinese character decomposition task in three conditions according to the tightness of the to-be-decomposed chunk (tight vs. medium vs. loose). Behavioral data showed that performance became worse (longer reaction time, lower accuracy) as chunk tightness increased. ERP data showed that, as chunk tightness increased, the LPC exhibited a significant decrease at posterior electrode sites. The results indicate that chunk tightness might exert its primary effect on chunk decomposition difficulty by increasing the difficulty of visuo-spatial transformation, a process linked to the parietal LPC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhonglu Zhang
- Department of Psychology, School of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, 510006 China
| | - Zheyi Lu
- Department of Psychology, School of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, 510006 China
| | | | - Cuiliang Rong
- Department of Psychology, School of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, 510006 China
| | - Qiang Xing
- Department of Psychology, School of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, 510006 China
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Xing Q, Lu Z, Hu J. The Effect of Working Memory Updating Ability on Spatial Insight Problem Solving: Evidence From Behavior and Eye Movement Studies. Front Psychol 2019; 10:927. [PMID: 31068884 PMCID: PMC6491639 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00927] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2018] [Accepted: 04/08/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
It still remains uncertain whether working memory updating ability influences spatial insight problem solving and whether working memory updating ability plays a role in the representation restructuring phase. The current study explored the correlation of working memory updating ability and spatial insight problem solving by behavior and eye movement experiments, and the results showed that high working memory updating ability individuals spend significant shorter time to solve spatial insight problem than low working memory updating ability individuals. For participants with high or low working memory updating ability, the underlying mechanism of spatial insight problem solving is sudden rather than incremental, which demonstrated that the working memory updating ability did not influence the representation restructuring phase. Working memory updating ability influences spatial problem solving, and it works critically in the problem space search phase, while the restructuring phase is sudden and immediate, which is not influenced by working memory updating ability. The representation restructuring tends to be spontaneous.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiang Xing
- Department of Psychology, School of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Qiang Xing,
| | - Zheyi Lu
- Department of Psychology, School of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jing Hu
- Guangzhou Sport University, Guangzhou, China
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