1
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Mather KA, Weston SJ, Condon DM. Scaling a common assessment of associative ability: Development and validation of a multiple-choice compound remote associates task. Behav Res Methods 2024; 56:1-29. [PMID: 38839705 DOI: 10.3758/s13428-024-02422-3] [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] [Accepted: 04/07/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024]
Abstract
The assessment of creativity as an individual difference has historically focused on divergent thinking, which is increasingly viewed as involving the associative processes that are also understood to be a key component of creative potential. Research on associative processes has proliferated in many sub-fields, often using Compound Remote Associates (CRA) tasks with an open response format and relatively small participant samples. In the present work, we introduce a new format that is more amenable to large-scale data collection in survey designs, and present evidence for the reliability and validity of CRA measures in general using multiple large samples. Study 1 uses a large, representative dataset (N = 1,323,480) to demonstrate strong unidimensionality and internal consistency (α = .97; ωt = .87), as well as links to individual differences in temperament, cognitive ability, occupation, and job characteristics. Study 2 uses an undergraduate sample (N = 685) to validate the use of a multiple-choice format relative to the traditional approach. Study 3 uses a crowdsourced sample (N = 357) to demonstrate high test-retest reliability of the items (r =.74). Finally, Study 4 uses a sample that overlaps with Study 1 (N = 1,502,922) to provide item response theory (IRT) parameters for a large set of high-quality CRA items that use a multiple-choice response mode, thus facilitating their use in future research on creativity, insight, and related topics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kendall A Mather
- Department of Psychology, University of Oregon, 1451 Onyx Street, Eugene, Oregon, 97403, USA.
| | - Sara J Weston
- Department of Psychology, University of Oregon, 1451 Onyx Street, Eugene, Oregon, 97403, USA
| | - David M Condon
- Department of Psychology, University of Oregon, 1451 Onyx Street, Eugene, Oregon, 97403, USA
- Midjourney, Inc., San Francisco, CA, USA
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2
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Yu Y, Krebs L, Beeman M, Lai VT. Exploring How Generating Metaphor Via Insight Versus Analysis Affects Metaphor Quality and Learning Outcomes. Cogn Sci 2024; 48:e13488. [PMID: 39154376 DOI: 10.1111/cogs.13488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2024] [Revised: 06/10/2024] [Accepted: 08/02/2024] [Indexed: 08/20/2024]
Abstract
Metaphor generation is both a creative act and a means of learning. When learning a new concept, people often create a metaphor to connect the new concept to existing knowledge. Does the manner in which people generate a metaphor, via sudden insight (Aha! moment) or deliberate analysis, influence the quality of generation and subsequent learning outcomes? According to some research, deliberate processing enhances knowledge retention; hence, generation via analysis likely leads to better concept learning. However, other research has shown that solutions generated via insight are better remembered. In the current study, participants were presented with science concepts and descriptions, then generated metaphors for the concepts. They also indicated how they generated each metaphor and rated their metaphor for novelty and aptness. We assessed participants' learning outcomes with a memory test and evaluated the creative quality of the metaphors based on self- and crowd-sourced ratings. Consistent with the deliberate processing benefit, participants became more familiar with the target science concept if they previously generated a metaphor for the concept via analysis compared to via insight. We also found that metaphors generated via analysis did not differ from metaphors generated via insight in quality (aptness or novelty) nor in how well they were remembered. However, participants' self-evaluations of metaphors generated via insight showed more agreement with independent raters, suggesting the role of insight in modulating the creative ideation process. These preliminary findings have implications for understanding the nature of insight during idea generation and its impact on learning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuhua Yu
- Department of Psychology, Northwestern University
| | | | - Mark Beeman
- Department of Psychology, Northwestern University
| | - Vicky T Lai
- Department of Psychology, University of Arizona
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3
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Stuyck H, Demeyer F, Bratanov C, Cleeremans A, Van den Bussche E. Insight and non-insight problem solving: A heart rate variability study. Q J Exp Psychol (Hove) 2024; 77:1462-1484. [PMID: 37688497 DOI: 10.1177/17470218231202519] [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] [Indexed: 09/11/2023]
Abstract
Occasionally, problems are solved with a sudden Aha! moment (insight), while the mundane approach to solving problems is analytical (non-insight). At first glance, non-insight appears to depend on the availability and taxation of cognitive resources to execute the step-by-step approach, whereas insight does not, or to a lesser extent. However, this remains debated. To investigate the reliance of both solution types on cognitive resources, we assessed the involvement of the prefrontal cortex using vagally mediated heart rate variability (vmHRV) as an index. Participants (N = 68) solved 70 compound remote associates word puzzles solvable with insight and non-insight. Before, during, and after solving the word puzzles, we measured the vmHRV. Our results showed that resting-state vmHRV (trait) showed a negative association with behavioural performance for both solution types. This might reflect inter-individual differences in inhibitory control. As the solution search requires one to think of remote associations, inhibitory control might hamper rather than aid this process. Furthermore, we observed, for both solution types, a vmHRV increase from resting-state to solution search (state), lingering on in the post-task recovery period. This could mark the increase of prefrontal resources to promote an open-minded stance, essential for divergent thinking, which arguably is crucial for this task. Our findings suggest that, at a general level, both solution types share common aspects. However, a closer analysis of early and late solutions and puzzle difficulty suggested that metacognitive differentiation between insight and non-insight improved with higher trait vmHRV, and that a unique association between trait vmHRV and puzzle difficulty was present for each solution type.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hans Stuyck
- Brain and Cognition, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Center for Research in Cognition and Neurosciences, Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences, Université libre de Bruxelles, Brussel, Belgium
| | - Febe Demeyer
- Brain and Cognition, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Christo Bratanov
- Brain and Cognition, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Axel Cleeremans
- Center for Research in Cognition and Neurosciences, Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences, Université libre de Bruxelles, Brussel, Belgium
| | - Eva Van den Bussche
- Brain and Cognition, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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4
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Faber M, de Rooij A. Is a wandering mind a novelty-seeking mind? The curious case of incubation. Behav Brain Sci 2024; 47:e97. [PMID: 38770849 DOI: 10.1017/s0140525x23003448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
The Novelty-Seeking Model can explain incubation's effect on creativity by assuming an adaptive decision threshold. During an impasse, the threshold for novelty becomes too high and biased to previous neural activity, hindering progress. Incubation "resets" this threshold through attentional decoupling, allowing for spontaneous ideas to emerge from subsequent mind wandering or other activities that attract attention, facilitating progress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Myrthe Faber
- Department of Cognitive Science and Artificial Intelligence, Tilburg School of Humanities and Digital Sciences, Tilburg University, Tilburg, The Netherlands
- Donders Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Alwin de Rooij
- Department of Communication and Cognition, Tilburg School of Humanities and Digital Sciences, Tilburg University, Tilburg, The Netherlands
- Centre of Applied Research for Art, Design and Technology, Avans University of Applied Sciences, 's-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands
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5
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Yu Y, Oh Y, Kounios J, Beeman M. Electroencephalography Spectral-power Volatility Predicts Problem-solving Outcomes. J Cogn Neurosci 2024; 36:901-915. [PMID: 38437171 DOI: 10.1162/jocn_a_02136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/06/2024]
Abstract
Temporal variability is a fundamental property of brain processes and is functionally important to human cognition. This study examined how fluctuations in neural oscillatory activity are related to problem-solving performance as one example of how temporal variability affects high-level cognition. We used volatility to assess step-by-step fluctuations of EEG spectral power while individuals attempted to solve word-association puzzles. Inspired by recent results with hidden-state modeling, we tested the hypothesis that spectral-power volatility is directly associated with problem-solving outcomes. As predicted, volatility was lower during trials solved with insight compared with those solved analytically. Moreover, volatility during prestimulus preparation for problem-solving predicted solving outcomes, including solving success and solving time. These novel findings were replicated in a separate data set from an anagram-solving task, suggesting that less-rapid transitions between neural oscillatory synchronization and desynchronization predict better solving performance and are conducive to solving with insight for these types of problems. Thus, volatility can be a valuable index of cognition-related brain dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuhua Yu
- Northwestern University, Evanston, IL
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6
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Takano R, Nomura M. A closer look at the time course of bodily responses to awe experiences. Sci Rep 2023; 13:22506. [PMID: 38110602 PMCID: PMC10728215 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-49681-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/20/2023] Open
Abstract
The structure and function of awe have been examined by focusing on the average level of outcomes during awe experiences. In the present study, we tested the psychophysiological process of experiencing awe, focusing on time-series changes in skin conductance responses (SCRs), a moment-by-moment measure of sympathetic nervous responses, and pupil diameter, which is dilated or constricted through the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system. The responses were measured through an experiment where 77 Japanese university students watched emotional (awe, amusement, or neutral) videos while moving a joystick when they felt supernatural agency or non-agency, examining the underlying psychological processes. We found that experiencing awe was associated with frequent and steep changes in SCRs and frequent changes in pupil diameter. The joystick inclination, the perceptions of the supernatural, was kept at a high level from the start to the end of awe experiences. These results may reflect the psychophysiological processes of awe: the "fluctuation" of the sympathetic nervous system might underlie awe-specific experiences. Our findings shed new light on the mechanisms of the body-mind interaction in awe experiences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryota Takano
- Department of Social Psychology, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-0033, Japan.
- Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Tokyo, Japan.
| | - Michio Nomura
- Graduate School of Education, Kyoto University, Yoshida-Honmachi, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8501, Japan.
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7
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Vitello M, Salvi C. Gestalt's Perspective on Insight: A Recap Based on Recent Behavioral and Neuroscientific Evidence. J Intell 2023; 11:224. [PMID: 38132842 PMCID: PMC10743969 DOI: 10.3390/jintelligence11120224] [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: 09/16/2023] [Revised: 11/18/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
The Gestalt psychologists' theory of insight problem-solving was based on a direct parallelism between perceptual experience and higher-order forms of cognition (e.g., problem-solving). Similarly, albeit not exclusively, to the sudden recognition of bistable figures, these psychologists contended that problem-solving involves a restructuring of one's initial representation of the problem's elements, leading to a sudden leap of understanding phenomenologically indexed by the "Aha!" feeling. Over the last century, different scholars have discussed the validity of the Gestalt psychologists' perspective, foremost using the behavioral measures available at the time. However, in the last two decades, scientists have gained a deeper understanding of insight problem-solving due to the advancements in cognitive neuroscience. This review aims to provide a retrospective reading of Gestalt theory based on the knowledge accrued by adopting novel paradigms of research and investigating their neurophysiological correlates. Among several key points that the Gestalt psychologists underscored, we focus specifically on the role of the visual system in marking a discrete switch of knowledge into awareness, as well as the perceptual experience and holistic standpoints. While the main goal of this paper is to read the previous theory in light of new evidence, we also hope to initiate an academic discussion and encourage further research about the points we raise.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary Vitello
- Department of Psychology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA;
| | - Carola Salvi
- Department of Psychology and Social Sciences, John Cabot University, 00165 Rome, Italy
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
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8
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Sangare A, Quirins M, Marois C, Valente M, Weiss N, Perez P, Ben Salah A, Munoz-Musat E, Demeret S, Rohaut B, Sitt JD, Eymond C, Naccache L. Pupil dilation response elicited by violations of auditory regularities is a promising but challenging approach to probe consciousness at the bedside. Sci Rep 2023; 13:20331. [PMID: 37989756 PMCID: PMC10663629 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-47806-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/18/2023] [Indexed: 11/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Pupil dilation response (PDR) has been proposed as a physiological marker of conscious access to a stimulus or its attributes, such as novelty. In a previous study on healthy volunteers, we adapted the auditory "local global" paradigm and showed that violations of global regularity elicited a PDR. Notably without instructions, this global effect was present only in participants who could consciously report violations of global regularities. In the present study, we used a similar approach in 24 non-communicating patients affected with a Disorder of Consciousness (DoC) and compared PDR to ERPs regarding diagnostic and prognostic performance. At the group level, global effect could not be detected in DoC patients. At the individual level, the only patient with a PDR global effect was in a MCS and recovered consciousness at 6 months. Contrasting the most regular trials to the most irregular ones improved PDR's diagnostic and prognostic power in DoC patients. Pupillometry is a promising tool but requires several methodological improvements to enhance the signal-to-noise ratio and make it more robust for probing consciousness and cognition in DoC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aude Sangare
- Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Paris, Groupe Hospitalier Pitié-Salpêtrière, Charles Foix, Département de Neurophysiologie, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France.
- INSERM U 1127, PICNIC, Lab, Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle Épinière, ICM, 75013, Paris, France.
| | - Marion Quirins
- Département de Neurologie, Hôpital Fondation Adolphe de Rothschild, Paris, France
| | - Clémence Marois
- AP-HP.Sorbonne Université, Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, Département de Neurologie, Unité de Médecine Intensive et Réanimation à Orientation Neurologique & Groupe de Recherche Clinique en REanimation et Soins Intensifs du Patient en Insuffisance Respiratoire aiguE (GRC-RESPIRE) Sorbonne Université, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
| | - Mélanie Valente
- Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Paris, Groupe Hospitalier Pitié-Salpêtrière, Charles Foix, Département de Neurophysiologie, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
- INSERM U 1127, PICNIC, Lab, Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle Épinière, ICM, 75013, Paris, France
| | - Nicolas Weiss
- AP-HP.Sorbonne Université, Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, Département de Neurologie, Unité de Médecine Intensive et Réanimation à Orientation Neurologique & Groupe de Recherche Clinique en REanimation et Soins Intensifs du Patient en Insuffisance Respiratoire aiguE (GRC-RESPIRE) Sorbonne Université, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
- Brain Liver Pitié-Salpêtrière (BLIPS) Study Group, INSERM UMR_S 938, Centre de Recherche Saint-Antoine (CRSA), Maladies Métaboliques, Biliaires et Fibro-Inflammatoire du Foie & Institute of Cardiometabolism and Nutrition (ICAN), Paris, France
| | - Pauline Perez
- Anesthesia and Intensive Care Unit, Lyon Medical Intensive Care Unit, Edouard, Herriot Hospital, Hospices Civils de Lyon, 69437, Lyon, France
| | - Amina Ben Salah
- Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Paris, Groupe Hospitalier Pitié-Salpêtrière, Charles Foix, Département de Neurophysiologie, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
- INSERM U 1127, PICNIC, Lab, Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle Épinière, ICM, 75013, Paris, France
| | - Esteban Munoz-Musat
- INSERM U 1127, PICNIC, Lab, Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle Épinière, ICM, 75013, Paris, France
| | - Sophie Demeret
- AP-HP.Sorbonne Université, Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, Département de Neurologie, Unité de Médecine Intensive et Réanimation à Orientation Neurologique & Groupe de Recherche Clinique en REanimation et Soins Intensifs du Patient en Insuffisance Respiratoire aiguE (GRC-RESPIRE) Sorbonne Université, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
| | - Benjamin Rohaut
- Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Paris, Groupe Hospitalier Pitié-Salpêtrière, Charles Foix, Département de Neurophysiologie, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
- INSERM U 1127, PICNIC, Lab, Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle Épinière, ICM, 75013, Paris, France
| | - Jacobo D Sitt
- INSERM U 1127, PICNIC, Lab, Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle Épinière, ICM, 75013, Paris, France
| | - Cecile Eymond
- INSERM U 1127, PICNIC, Lab, Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle Épinière, ICM, 75013, Paris, France
| | - Lionel Naccache
- Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Paris, Groupe Hospitalier Pitié-Salpêtrière, Charles Foix, Département de Neurophysiologie, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France.
- INSERM U 1127, PICNIC, Lab, Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle Épinière, ICM, 75013, Paris, France.
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9
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Salvi C, Iannello P, Cancer A, Cooper SE, McClay M, Dunsmoor JE, Antonietti A. Does social rigidity predict cognitive rigidity? Profiles of socio-cognitive polarization. PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH 2023; 87:2533-2547. [PMID: 37148283 PMCID: PMC10163580 DOI: 10.1007/s00426-023-01832-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2022] [Accepted: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Recent research has proposed a relationship between rigid political ideologies and underlying 'cognitive styles'. However, there remain discrepancies in how both social and cognitive rigidity are defined and measured. Problem-solving, or the ability to generate novel ideas by exploring unusual reasoning paths and challenging rigid perspectives around us, is often used to operationalize cognitive flexibility. Thus, we hypothesized a relation between forms of social rigidity, including Socio-cognitive polarization (i.e., a factor capturing conservative political ideology, absolutism/intolerance of ambiguity, and xenophobia), bullshit receptivity (i.e., overestimating pseudo-profound statements), overclaiming (tendency to self-enhance), and cognitive rigidity (i.e., problem-solving). Our results showed differences in performance on problem-solving tasks between four latent profiles of social rigidity identified in our sample. Specifically, those low in socio-cognitive polarization, bullshit, and overclaiming (i.e., less rigid) performed the best on problem-solving. Thus, we conclude that social and cognitive rigidity may share an underlying socio-cognitive construct, wherein those who are more socially rigid are also more likely to be also cognitively rigid when processing non-social information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carola Salvi
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
- Department of Psychology and Social Sciences, John Cabot University, Rome, Italy.
| | - Paola Iannello
- Department of Psychology, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Milan, Italy
| | - Alice Cancer
- Department of Psychology, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Milan, Italy
| | - Samuel E Cooper
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Mason McClay
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Joseph E Dunsmoor
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
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10
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Laukkonen RE, Webb M, Salvi C, Tangen JM, Slagter HA, Schooler JW. Insight and the selection of ideas. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 153:105363. [PMID: 37598874 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2023] [Revised: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 08/15/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023]
Abstract
Perhaps it is no accident that insight moments accompany some of humanity's most important discoveries in science, medicine, and art. Here we propose that feelings of insight play a central role in (heuristically) selecting an idea from the stream of consciousness by capturing attention and eliciting a sense of intuitive confidence permitting fast action under uncertainty. The mechanisms underlying this Eureka heuristic are explained within an active inference framework. First, implicit restructuring via Bayesian reduction leads to a higher-order prediction error (i.e., the content of insight). Second, dopaminergic precision-weighting of the prediction error accounts for the intuitive confidence, pleasure, and attentional capture (i.e., the feeling of insight). This insight as precision account is consistent with the phenomenology, accuracy, and neural unfolding of insight, as well as its effects on belief and decision-making. We conclude by reflecting on dangers of the Eureka Heuristic, including the arising and entrenchment of false beliefs and the vulnerability of insights under psychoactive substances and misinformation.
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Yu Y, Salvi C, Becker M, Beeman M. Solving problems with an Aha! increases risk preference. THINKING & REASONING 2023; 30:509-530. [PMID: 39309247 PMCID: PMC11412399 DOI: 10.1080/13546783.2023.2259552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2023] [Revised: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 09/03/2023] [Indexed: 09/25/2024]
Abstract
Solving problems with insight culminates in an "Aha! moment": a feeling of confidence and pleasure. In daily life, insights are often followed by important decisions, such as deciding what to do with a new idea. Here, we investigated whether having an Aha! moment affects subsequent decision-making. Because Aha! moments tend to elicit positive affect, which is generally associated with an increased risk-taking tendency, we hypothesized that people would favor a monetary payout with more upside despite greater uncertainty after solving a problem with insight. Participants were asked to solve verbal puzzles and report whether they solved them with insight or without insight. After each puzzle, they chose between two bonuses: a fixed payout or a risk payout with 50% chance of receiving a high or a low payout. Participants were more likely to choose the risk payout after they solved with insight compared to without, suggesting a temporarily higher risk preference. The study provided preliminary evidence of a carryover effect - the impact of an Aha! moment on the subsequent risk choice - that can have implications in everyday decision-making.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuhua Yu
- Department of Psychology, Northwestern University
| | - Carola Salvi
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas at Austin
- Department of Psychology and Social Sciences, John Cabot University, Rome
| | - Maxi Becker
- Department of Psychology, Humboldt University Berlin
| | - Mark Beeman
- Department of Psychology, Northwestern University
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12
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Kuc A, Maksimenko V, Savosenkov A, Grigorev N, Grubov V, Badarin A, Kazantsev V, Gordleeva S, Hramov A. Studying perceptual bias in favor of the from-above Necker cube perspective in a goal-directed behavior. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1160605. [PMID: 37794908 PMCID: PMC10546315 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1160605] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/06/2023] Open
Abstract
When viewing a completely ambiguous image, different interpretations can switch involuntarily due to internal top-down processing. In the case of the Necker cube, an entirely ambiguous stimulus, observers often display a bias in perceptual switching between two interpretations based on their perspectives: one with a from-above perspective (FA) and the other with a from-below perspective (FB). Typically, observers exhibit a priori top-down bias in favor of the FA interpretation, which may stem from a statistical tendency in everyday life where we more frequently observe objects from above. However, it remains unclear whether this perceptual bias persists when individuals voluntarily decide on the Necker cube's interpretation in goal-directed behavior, and the impact of ambiguity in this context is not well-understood. In our study, we instructed observers to voluntarily identify the orientation of a Necker cube while manipulating its ambiguity from low (LA) to high (HA). Our investigation aimed to test two hypotheses: (i) whether the perspective (FA or FB) would result in a bias in response time, and (ii) whether this bias would depend on the level of stimulus ambiguity. Additionally, we analyzed electroencephalogram (EEG) signals to identify potential biomarkers that could explain the observed perceptual bias. The behavioral results confirmed a perceptual bias in favor of the from-above perspective, as indicated by shorter response times. However, this bias diminished for stimuli with high ambiguity. For the LA stimuli, the occipital theta-band power consistently exceeded the frontal theta-band power throughout most of the decision-making time. In contrast, for the HA stimuli, the frontal theta-band power started to exceed the occipital theta-band power during the 0.3-s period preceding the decision. We propose that occipital theta-band power reflects evidence accumulation, while frontal theta-band power reflects its evaluation and decision-making processes. For the FB perspective, occipital theta-band power exhibited higher values and dominated over a longer duration, leading to an overall increase in response time. These results suggest that more information and more time are needed to encode stimuli with a FB perspective, as this template is less common for the observers compared to the template for a cube with a FA perspective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Kuc
- Baltic Center for Neurotechnology and Artificial Intelligence, Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University, Kaliningrad, Russia
| | - Vladimir Maksimenko
- Baltic Center for Neurotechnology and Artificial Intelligence, Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University, Kaliningrad, Russia
- Center for Technologies in Robotics and Mechatronics Components, Innopolis University, Innopolis, Russia
- Neurodynamics and Cognitive Technology Laboratory, Lobachevsky State University of Nizhny Novgorod, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia
| | - Andrey Savosenkov
- Neurodynamics and Cognitive Technology Laboratory, Lobachevsky State University of Nizhny Novgorod, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia
| | - Nikita Grigorev
- Neurodynamics and Cognitive Technology Laboratory, Lobachevsky State University of Nizhny Novgorod, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia
| | - Vadim Grubov
- Baltic Center for Neurotechnology and Artificial Intelligence, Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University, Kaliningrad, Russia
| | - Artem Badarin
- Baltic Center for Neurotechnology and Artificial Intelligence, Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University, Kaliningrad, Russia
- Neurodynamics and Cognitive Technology Laboratory, Lobachevsky State University of Nizhny Novgorod, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia
| | - Victor Kazantsev
- Neurodynamics and Cognitive Technology Laboratory, Lobachevsky State University of Nizhny Novgorod, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia
| | - Susanna Gordleeva
- Neurodynamics and Cognitive Technology Laboratory, Lobachevsky State University of Nizhny Novgorod, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia
| | - Alexander Hramov
- Baltic Center for Neurotechnology and Artificial Intelligence, Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University, Kaliningrad, Russia
- Neurodynamics and Cognitive Technology Laboratory, Lobachevsky State University of Nizhny Novgorod, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia
- Neuroscience Research Institute, Samara State Medical University, Samara, Russia
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13
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Vásquez-Pinto S, Morales-Bader D, Cox RFA, Munoz-Rubke F, Castillo RD. The nonlinearity of pupil diameter fluctuations in an insight task as criteria for detecting children who solve the problem from those who do not. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1129355. [PMID: 37425184 PMCID: PMC10327553 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1129355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2022] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 07/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Insights, characterized by sudden discoveries following unsuccessful problem-solving attempts, are fascinating phenomena. Dynamic systems perspectives argue that insight arises from self-organizing perceptual and motor processes. Entropy and fractal scaling are potential markers for emerging new and effective solutions. This study investigated whether specific features associated with self-organization in dynamical systems can distinguish between individuals who succeed and those who fail in solving insight tasks. To achieve this, we analyzed pupillary diameter fluctuations of children aged 6 to 12 during the 8-coin task, a well-established insight task. The participants were divided into two groups: successful (n = 24) and unsuccessful (n = 43) task completion. Entropy, determinism, recurrence ratio, and the β scaling exponent were estimated using Recurrence Quantification and Power Spectrum Density analyses. The results indicated that the solver group exhibited more significant uncertainty and lower predictability in pupillary diameter fluctuations before finding the solution. Recurrence Quantification Analysis revealed changes that went unnoticed by mean and standard deviation measures. However, the β scaling exponent did not differentiate between the two groups. These findings suggest that entropy and determinism in pupillary diameter fluctuations can identify early differences in problem-solving success. Further research is needed to determine the exclusive role of perceptual and motor activity in generating insights and investigate these results' generalizability to other tasks and populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastián Vásquez-Pinto
- Centro de Investigación en Ciencias Cognitivas, Facultad de Psicología, Universidad de Talca, Talca, Chile
| | - Diego Morales-Bader
- Centro de Investigación en Ciencias Cognitivas, Facultad de Psicología, Universidad de Talca, Talca, Chile
- Facultad de Ingeniería y Ciencias, Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Santiago, Chile
| | - Ralf F. A. Cox
- Department of Developmental Psychology, Faculty of Behavioural and Social Sciences, Heymans Institute for Psychological Research, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Felipe Munoz-Rubke
- Instituto de Psicología, Universidad Austral de Chile, Puerto Montt, Chile
| | - Ramón D. Castillo
- Centro de Investigación en Ciencias Cognitivas, Facultad de Psicología, Universidad de Talca, Talca, Chile
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14
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Tulver K, Kaup KK, Laukkonen R, Aru J. Restructuring insight: An integrative review of insight in problem-solving, meditation, psychotherapy, delusions and psychedelics. Conscious Cogn 2023; 110:103494. [PMID: 36913839 DOI: 10.1016/j.concog.2023.103494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2022] [Revised: 02/03/2023] [Accepted: 02/26/2023] [Indexed: 03/13/2023]
Abstract
Occasionally, a solution or idea arrives as a sudden understanding - an insight. Insight has been considered an "extra" ingredient of creative thinking and problem-solving. Here we propose that insight is central in seemingly distinct areas of research. Drawing on literature from a variety of fields, we show that besides being commonly studied in problem-solving literature, insight is also a core component in psychotherapy and meditation, a key process underlying the emergence of delusions in schizophrenia, and a factor in the therapeutic effects of psychedelics. In each case, we discuss the event of insight and its prerequisites and consequences. We review evidence for the commonalities and differences between the fields and discuss their relevance for capturing the essence of the insight phenomenon. The goal of this integrative review is to bridge the gap between the different views and inspire interdisciplinary research efforts for understanding this central process of human cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kadi Tulver
- Institute of Computer Science, University of Tartu, Estonia.
| | | | | | - Jaan Aru
- Institute of Computer Science, University of Tartu, Estonia.
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15
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Cancer A, Iannello P, Salvi C, Antonietti A. Executive functioning and divergent thinking predict creative problem-solving in young adults and elderlies. PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH 2023; 87:388-396. [PMID: 35366100 PMCID: PMC9928931 DOI: 10.1007/s00426-022-01678-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2021] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
The role of executive functioning in creative thinking is under debate. Some authors suggested that increased inhibitory control, a component of executive functioning, is detrimental to creative solutions, whereas others argued that executive functions are central to creative problem-solving, thus questioning Guilford's classical distinction between divergent and convergent thinking. Executive functions decline with age. In this study, we investigated the contributions of executive functioning and its age-related decline and divergent thinking to creative problem-solving. To this aim, we divided our sample of sixty healthy adults into two age groups of young adults (20-26 years) and elderly (60-70 years) and we assessed their creative problem-solving abilities (using the compound remote associate problems) as well as other potential cognitive predictors of creative problem-solving (i.e., impulsivity, divergent thinking, verbal working memory, and decision-making style). A linear regression model revealed that the ability to solve problems creatively is negatively predicted by older age and impulsivity, while positively predicted by divergent thinking and verbal working memory. These findings reveal a combined contribution of executive functions and divergent thinking to creative problem-solving, suggesting that both convergent and divergent processes should be considered in interventions to contrast age-related decline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice Cancer
- Department of Psychology, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Milan, Italy.
| | - Paola Iannello
- Department of Psychology, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Milan, Italy
| | - Carola Salvi
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
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16
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Yu Y, Oh Y, Kounios J, Beeman M. Uncovering the Interplay of Oscillatory Processes During Creative Problem Solving: A Dynamic Modeling Approach. CREATIVITY RESEARCH JOURNAL 2023; 35:438-454. [PMID: 38145249 PMCID: PMC10745236 DOI: 10.1080/10400419.2023.2172871] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/18/2023]
Abstract
To solve a new problem, people spontaneously engage multiple cognitive processes. Previous work has identified a diverse set of oscillatory components critical at different stages of creative problem solving. In this project, we use hidden state modeling to untangle the roles of oscillation processes over time as people solve puzzles. Building on earlier work, we further developed analytical methods, such as incorporating source separating techniques and identifying the optimal number of states using cross-validation. We extracted brain states characterized by spatio-spectral topographies from time-resolved EEG spectral powers. The data driven approach allowed us to infer the dynamic, trial-by-trial, state sequences, and provided a comprehensive depiction of how various oscillation components interact recurrently throughout the trial. The properties of the states suggest their dissociable cognitive functions. For example, we identified three states with dominant activation in alpha bands but having distinct spatial distributions. People were differentially engaged in these states depending on the stages (e.g., onset or response) and outcomes of the trials (solved with insight or analysis). The current approach, applicable to many tasks requiring extended trial duration, can potentially reconcile findings from previous EEG studies and drive new hypotheses to further our understanding of the complex creative process.
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17
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Salvi C, Barr N, Dunsmoor JE, Grafman J. Insight Problem Solving Ability Predicts Reduced Susceptibility to Fake News, Bullshit, and Overclaiming. THINKING & REASONING 2022; 29:760-784. [PMID: 37982007 PMCID: PMC10655953 DOI: 10.1080/13546783.2022.2146191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2021] [Accepted: 10/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
The information humans are exposed to has grown exponentially. This has placed increased demands upon our information selection strategies resulting in reduced fact-checking and critical-thinking time. Prior research shows that problem solving (traditionally measured using the Cognitive Reflection Test-CRT) negatively correlates with believing in false information. We argue that this result is specifically related to insight problem solving. Solutions via insight are the result of parallel processing, characterized by filtering external noise, and, unlike cognitively controlled thinking, it does not suffer from the cognitive overload associated with processing multiple sources of information. We administered the Compound Remote Associate Test (problems used to investigate insight problem solving) as well as the CRT, 20 fake and real news headlines, the bullshit, and overclaiming scales to a sample of 61 participants. Results show that insight problem solving predicts better identification of fake news and bullshit (over and above traditional measures i.e., the CRT), and is associated with reduced overclaiming. These results have implications for understanding individual differences in susceptibility to believing false information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carola Salvi
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX USA
- Department of Psychology and Social Sciences, John Cabot University, Rome, Italy
| | - Nathaniel Barr
- School of Humanities and Creativity, Sheridan College, ON, Canada
| | - Joseph E. Dunsmoor
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX USA
| | - Jordan Grafman
- Shirley Ryan Ability Lab, Chicago, IL, USA
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
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18
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Nakayama R, Bardin JB, Koizumi A, Motoyoshi I, Amano K. Building a decoder of perceptual decisions from microsaccades and pupil size. Front Psychol 2022; 13:942859. [PMID: 36176801 PMCID: PMC9514321 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.942859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2022] [Accepted: 08/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Many studies have reported neural correlates of visual awareness across several brain regions, including the sensory, parietal, and frontal areas. In most of these studies, participants were instructed to explicitly report their perceptual experience through a button press or verbal report. It is conceivable, however, that explicit reporting itself may trigger specific neural responses that can confound the direct examination of the neural correlates of visual awareness. This suggests the need to assess visual awareness without explicit reporting. One way to achieve this is to develop a technique to predict the visual awareness of participants based on their peripheral responses. Here, we used eye movements and pupil sizes to decode trial-by-trial changes in the awareness of a stimulus whose visibility was deteriorated due to adaptation-induced blindness (AIB). In the experiment, participants judged whether they perceived a target stimulus and rated the confidence they had in their perceptual judgment, while their eye movements and pupil sizes were recorded. We found that not only perceptual decision but also perceptual confidence can be separately decoded from the eye movement and pupil size. We discuss the potential of this technique with regard to assessing visual awareness in future neuroimaging experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryohei Nakayama
- Department of Psychology, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- Center for Information and Neural Networks (CiNet), National Institute of Information and Communications Technology, Osaka, Japan
| | - Jean-Baptiste Bardin
- Center for Information and Neural Networks (CiNet), National Institute of Information and Communications Technology, Osaka, Japan
- École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Ai Koizumi
- Center for Information and Neural Networks (CiNet), National Institute of Information and Communications Technology, Osaka, Japan
- Sony Computer Science Laboratories, Inc., Tokyo, Japan
| | - Isamu Motoyoshi
- Department of Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kaoru Amano
- Center for Information and Neural Networks (CiNet), National Institute of Information and Communications Technology, Osaka, Japan
- Graduate School of Information Science and Technology, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- *Correspondence: Kaoru Amano,
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19
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Yu Y, Oh Y, Kounios J, Beeman M. Dynamics of hidden brain states when people solve verbal puzzles. Neuroimage 2022; 255:119202. [PMID: 35427772 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2022.119202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2021] [Revised: 03/10/2022] [Accepted: 04/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
When people try to solve a problem, they go through distinct steps (encoding, ideation, evaluation, etc.) recurrently and spontaneously. To disentangle different cognitive processes that unfold throughout a trial, we applied an unsupervised machine learning method to electroencephalogram (EEG) data continuously recorded while 39 participants attempted 153 Compound Remote Associates problems (CRA). CRA problems are verbal puzzles that can be solved in either insight-leaning or analysis-leaning manner. We fitted a Hidden Markov Model to the time-frequency transformed EEG signals and decoded each trial as a time-resolved state sequence. The model characterizes hidden brain states with spectrally resolved power topography. Seven states were identified with distinct activation patterns in the theta (4-7 Hz), alpha (8-9 Hz and 10-13 Hz), and gamma (25-50 Hz) bands. Notably, a state featuring widespread activation only in alpha-band frequency emerged, from this data-driven approach, which exhibited dynamic characteristics associated with specific temporal stages and outcomes (whether solved with insight or analysis) of the trials. The state dynamics derived from the model overlap and extend previous literature on the cognitive function of alpha oscillation: the "alpha-state" probability peaks before stimulus onset and decreases before response. In trials solved with insight, relative to solved with analysis, the alpha-state is more likely to be visited and maintained during preparation and solving periods, and its probability declines more sharply immediately preceding a response. This novel paradigm provides a way to extract dynamic features that characterize problem-solving stages and potentially provide a novel window into the nature of the underlying cognitive processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuhua Yu
- Department of Psychology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA.
| | - Yongtaek Oh
- Department of Psychology, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - John Kounios
- Department of Psychology, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Mark Beeman
- Department of Psychology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
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20
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Salmon N, Leikin M. The Cognitive–Creative Profiles of Insightful Problem Solvers: A Person‐Centered Insight Study. JOURNAL OF CREATIVE BEHAVIOR 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/jocb.536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Nirit Salmon
- Gordon College of Education
- University of Haifa
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21
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Lytaev S. Long-Latency Event-Related Potentials (300-1000 ms) of the Visual Insight. SENSORS 2022; 22:s22041323. [PMID: 35214225 PMCID: PMC8963065 DOI: 10.3390/s22041323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2021] [Revised: 02/02/2022] [Accepted: 02/07/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
The line of insight research methods that have high temporal and surface resolution is not large—these are EEGs, EPs, and fMRI, as well as their combinations and various options for assessing temporal events of random understanding. The objective of this research was to study the classification of insight for visual illusory images consisting of several objects simultaneously according to the analysis of early, middle, late, and ultra-late components (up to 1000 ms) of event-related potentials (ERPs). ERP research on 42 healthy subjects (men) aged 20–28 years was performed. The stimuli were a line of visual images with an incomplete set of signs, as well as images-illusions, which, with different perceptions, represent different images. The results showed the similarity of the tests to correct recognition of fragments of unrecognition and double images. At the intermediate stage of perception (100–200 ms), in both cases, the activity of the central and frontal cortex decreased, mainly in the left hemisphere. At the later stages of information processing (300–500 ms), the temporal-parietal and occipital brain parts on the right were activated, with the difference that when double objects were perceived, this process expanded to 700–800 ms with the activation of the central and occipital fields of the right hemisphere. Outcomes allowed discussing two possible options for actualizing the mechanisms of long-term memory that ensure the formation of insight—the simultaneous perception of images as part of an illusion. The first of them is associated with the inhibition of the frontal cortex at the stage of synthesis of information flows, with the subsequent activation of the occipital brain parts. The second variant is traditional and manifests itself in the activation of the frontal brain areas, with the subsequent excitation of all brain fields by the mechanisms of exhaustive search.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergey Lytaev
- Department of Normal Physiology, St. Petersburg State Pediatric Medical University, 194100 Saint Petersburg, Russia; ; Tel.: +7-921-938-5120
- Lab of Applied Informatics, St. Petersburg Federal Research Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 199178 Saint Petersburg, Russia
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22
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Abstract
The insight experience (or ‘Aha moment’) generally evokes strong feelings of certainty and confidence. An ‘Aha’ experience for a false idea could underlie many false beliefs and delusions. However, for as long as insight experiences have been studied, false insights have remained difficult to elicit experimentally. That difficulty, in turn, highlights the fact that we know little about what causes people to experience a false insight. Across two experiments (total N = 300), we developed and tested a new paradigm to elicit false insights. In Experiment 1 we used a combination of semantic priming and visual similarity to elicit feelings of insight for incorrect solutions to anagrams. These false insights were relatively common but were experienced as weaker than correct ones. In Experiment 2 we replicated the findings of Experiment 1 and found that semantic priming and visual similarity interacted to produce false insights. These studies highlight the importance of misleading semantic processing and the feasibility of the solution in the generation of false insights.
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23
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Osuna-Mascaró AJ, Auersperg AMI. Current Understanding of the "Insight" Phenomenon Across Disciplines. Front Psychol 2021; 12:791398. [PMID: 34975690 PMCID: PMC8715918 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.791398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2021] [Accepted: 11/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite countless anecdotes and the historical significance of insight as a problem solving mechanism, its nature has long remained elusive. The conscious experience of insight is notoriously difficult to trace in non-verbal animals. Although studying insight has presented a significant challenge even to neurobiology and psychology, human neuroimaging studies have cleared the theoretical landscape, as they have begun to reveal the underlying mechanisms. The study of insight in non-human animals has, in contrast, remained limited to innovative adjustments to experimental designs within the classical approach of judging cognitive processes in animals, based on task performance. This leaves no apparent possibility of ending debates from different interpretations emerging from conflicting schools of thought. We believe that comparative cognition has thus much to gain by embracing advances from neuroscience and human cognitive psychology. We will review literature on insight (mainly human) and discuss the consequences of these findings to comparative cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio J. Osuna-Mascaró
- Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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24
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Aha! under pressure: The Aha! experience is not constrained by cognitive load. Cognition 2021; 219:104946. [PMID: 34891110 DOI: 10.1016/j.cognition.2021.104946] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2021] [Revised: 10/14/2021] [Accepted: 10/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
The Aha! moment- the sudden insight sometimes reached when solving a vexing problem- entails a different problem-solving experience than solution retrieval reached by an analytical, multistep strategy (i.e., non-insight). To date, the (un)conscious nature of insight remains debated. We addressed this by studying insight under cognitive load. If insight and non-insight problem solving rely on conscious, effortful processes, they should both be influenced by a concurrent cognitive load. However, if unconscious processes characterize insight, cognitive load might not affect it at all. Using a dual-task paradigm, young, healthy adults (N = 106) solved 70 word puzzles under different cognitive loads. We confirmed that insight solutions were more often correct and received higher solution confidence. Importantly, as cognitive load increased, non-insight solutions became less frequent and required more solution time, whereas insightful ones remained mostly unaffected. This implies that insight problem solving did not compete for limited cognitive resources.
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25
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Zhu X, Oh Y, Chesebrough C, Zhang F, Kounios J. Pre-stimulus brain oscillations predict insight versus analytic problem-solving in an anagram task. Neuropsychologia 2021; 162:108044. [PMID: 34610344 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2021.108044] [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: 09/27/2020] [Revised: 09/26/2021] [Accepted: 09/29/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
There are two general strategies for solving a problem. Insight is the sudden realization of a novel idea or problem solution accompanied by an "aha" experience. Analysis occurs in a conscious, deliberate fashion without an "aha" experience. Previous research has shown that brain activity during a preparatory period immediately before a problem is presented can predict whether the subsequently presented problem will be solved by insight or by analysis. Those prior studies used a type of brief verbal problem called compound remote associates (CRA). To determine whether prestimulus activity predicts subsequent insight versus analytic solving for other types of problems, the present study used an anagram task. We examined high-density electroencephalograms (EEGs) immediately preceding the presentation of anagrams and found that during the 2-s prestimulus interval there was greater beta-band activity recorded over right central-parietal cortex prior to analytic solving compared with insightful solving. EEG source reconstruction showed that this activity originated in left mid-cingulate cortex (MCC) and the right postcentral gyrus. In contrast to prior work, we found no evidence of a significant interaction between insight-related prestimulus brain activity and positive mood, although positive mood was associated with greater activity in anterior cingulate cortex and with a larger number of insight solutions. The present MCC results suggest that participants' anagram-solving strategies may be influenced by allostasis, that is, the estimation and marshalling of neurocognitive resources required to cope with an expected task. Specifically, when a participant adequately prepares for an upcoming problem, then MCC activity is high, enabling solution by resource-intensive analytic processing. Alternatively, when preparation is insufficient for analytic processing, then MCC activity is low and subsequent solving occurs by low-demand insight processing. The current findings and explanatory model differ from those of previous studies that used a CRA task, suggesting the possibility of complex interactions between task-type and procedure-type in determining the nature of prestimulus preparation. Future research examining such interactions may yield results that benefit educators who teach students problem-solving strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyi Zhu
- Department of Psychology, Drexel University, 3201 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Yongtaek Oh
- Department of Psychology, Drexel University, 3201 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA.
| | - Christine Chesebrough
- Department of Psychology, Drexel University, 3201 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Fengqing Zhang
- Department of Psychology, Drexel University, 3201 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - John Kounios
- Department of Psychology, Drexel University, 3201 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
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26
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Quantifying the roles of conscious and unconscious processing in insight-related memory effectiveness within standard and creative advertising. PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH 2021; 86:1410-1425. [PMID: 34417868 DOI: 10.1007/s00426-021-01572-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2021] [Accepted: 07/28/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
To maximize marketing effectiveness, many conscious and unconscious elements are simultaneously employed within campaign advertising. However, little is known about the individual contributions that conscious and unconscious processes make to the cognitive effectiveness of creative advertisements, some of which may also induce insight experiences. To quantify the roles of conscious and unconscious processes in memory effectiveness within commercial advertising, a dual-process, signal-detection technique was adopted to separate the contributions of conscious recollection and unconscious discrimination induced by 80 printed advertisements, among which half were considered standard and the other half creative. A total of 51 participants completed immediate (5 min later) and delayed (3 days later) memory recognition tests. In contrast to standard advertising, creative advertising was found to enhance recognition and to demonstrate advantages in both conscious and unconscious memory, which decreased across the test-time intervals. Further analyses showed that a moment of insight induced by an advertisement, regardless of whether it is standard or creative, can consolidate unconscious memory, whereas advertisements that do not induce insight improve conscious memory. The implications of these findings are discussed.
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27
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Ceh SM, Annerer-Walcher S, Koschutnig K, Körner C, Fink A, Benedek M. Neurophysiological indicators of internal attention: An fMRI-eye-tracking coregistration study. Cortex 2021; 143:29-46. [PMID: 34371378 DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2021.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2021] [Revised: 06/01/2021] [Accepted: 07/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Many goal-directed, as well as spontaneous everyday activities (e.g., planning, mind-wandering), rely on an internal focus of attention. This fMRI-eye-tracking coregistration study investigated brain mechanisms and eye behavior related to internally versus externally directed cognition. Building on an established paradigm, we manipulated internal attention demands within tasks utilizing conditional stimulus masking. Internally directed cognition involved bilateral activation of the lingual gyrus and inferior parietal lobe areas as well as wide-spread deactivation of visual networks. Moreover, internally directed cognition was related to greater pupil diameter, pupil diameter variance, blink duration, fixation disparity variance, and smaller amounts of microsaccades. FMRI-eye-tracking covariation analyses further revealed that larger pupil diameter was related to increased activation of basal ganglia and lingual gyrus. It can be concluded that internally and externally directed cognition are characterized by distinct neurophysiological signatures. The observed neurophysiological differences indicate that internally directed cognition is associated with reduced processing of task-irrelevant information and increased mental load. These findings shed further light on the interplay between neural and perceptual mechanisms contributing to an internal focus of attention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Majed Ceh
- Institute of Psychology, University of Graz, Universitätsplatz 2, BioTechMed, Graz, Austria
| | - Sonja Annerer-Walcher
- Institute of Psychology, University of Graz, Universitätsplatz 2, BioTechMed, Graz, Austria
| | - Karl Koschutnig
- Institute of Psychology, University of Graz, Universitätsplatz 2, BioTechMed, Graz, Austria
| | - Christof Körner
- Institute of Psychology, University of Graz, Universitätsplatz 2, BioTechMed, Graz, Austria
| | - Andreas Fink
- Institute of Psychology, University of Graz, Universitätsplatz 2, BioTechMed, Graz, Austria
| | - Mathias Benedek
- Institute of Psychology, University of Graz, Universitätsplatz 2, BioTechMed, Graz, Austria.
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28
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Laukkonen RE, Ingledew DJ, Grimmer HJ, Schooler JW, Tangen JM. Getting a grip on insight: real-time and embodied Aha experiences predict correct solutions. Cogn Emot 2021; 35:918-935. [DOI: 10.1080/02699931.2021.1908230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ruben E. Laukkonen
- Cognitive Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | | | - Hilary J. Grimmer
- School of Psychology, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Australia
| | | | - Jason M. Tangen
- School of Psychology, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Australia
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29
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Enhancement of semantic integration reasoning by tRNS. COGNITIVE AFFECTIVE & BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE 2021; 21:736-746. [PMID: 33796985 DOI: 10.3758/s13415-021-00885-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
The right hemisphere is involved with the integrative processes necessary to achieve global coherence during reasoning and discourse processing. Specifically, the right temporal lobe has been proven to facilitate the processing of distant associate relationships, such as generating novel ideas. Previous studies showed a specific swing of alpha and gamma oscillatory activity over the right parieto-occipital lobe and the right anterior temporal lobe respectively, when people solve semantic problems with a specific strategy, i.e., insight problem-solving. In this study, we investigated the specificity of the right parietal and temporal lobes for semantic integration using transcranial Random Noise Stimulation (tRNS). We administered a set of pure semantics (i.e., Compound Remote Associates [CRA]) and visuo-semantic problems (i.e., Rebus Puzzles) to a sample of 31 healthy volunteers. Behavioral results showed that tRNS stimulation over the right temporal lobe enhances CRA accuracy (+12%), while stimulation on the right parietal lobe causes a decrease of response time on the same task (-2,100 ms). No effects were detected for Rebus Puzzles. Our findings corroborate the involvement of the right temporal and parietal lobes when solving purely semantic problems but not when they involve visuo-semantic material, also providing causal evidence for their postulated different roles in the semantic integration process and promoting tRNS as a candidate tool to boost verbal reasoning in humans.
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Salvi C, Leiker EK, Baricca B, Molinari MA, Eleopra R, Nichelli PF, Grafman J, Dunsmoor JE. The Effect of Dopaminergic Replacement Therapy on Creative Thinking and Insight Problem-Solving in Parkinson's Disease Patients. Front Psychol 2021; 12:646448. [PMID: 33763005 PMCID: PMC7984162 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.646448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2020] [Accepted: 02/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) patients receiving dopaminergic treatment may experience bursts of creativity. Although this phenomenon is sometimes recognized among patients and their clinicians, the association between dopamine replacement therapy (DRT) in PD patients and creativity remains underexplored. It is unclear, for instance, whether DRT affects creativity through convergent or divergent thinking, idea generation, or a general lack of inhibition. It is also unclear whether DRT only augments pre-existing creative attributes or generates creativity de novo. Here, we tested a group of PD patients when “on” and “off” dopaminergic treatment on a series of tests of creative problem-solving (Alternative Uses Task, Compound Remote Associates, Rebus Puzzles), and related their performance to a group of matched healthy controls as well as to their pre-PD creative skills and measures of inhibition/impulsivity. Results did not provide strong evidence that DRT improved creative thinking in PD patients. Rather, PD patients “on” medication showed less flexibility in divergent thinking, generated fewer ideas via insight, and showed worse performance in convergent thinking overall (by making more errors) than healthy controls. Pre-PD creative skills predicted enhanced flexibility and fluency in divergent thinking when PD patients were “on” medication. However, results on convergent thinking were mixed. Finally, PD patients who exhibited deficits in a measure of inhibitory control showed weaker convergent thinking while “on” medication, supporting previous evidence on the importance of inhibitory control in creative problem-solving. Altogether, results do not support the hypothesis that DRT promotes creative thinking in PD. We speculate that bursts of artistic production in PD are perhaps conflated with creativity due to lay conceptions of creativity (i.e., an art-bias).
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Affiliation(s)
- Carola Salvi
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, United States
| | - Emily K Leiker
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, United States
| | - Beatrix Baricca
- Neurology Clinic, Department of Neuroscience, Ospedale Civile S. Agostino Estense, Modena University Hospital, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Maria A Molinari
- Neurology Clinic, Department of Neuroscience, Ospedale Civile S. Agostino Estense, Modena University Hospital, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy.,Department of Psychology, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Roberto Eleopra
- Movement Disorders Unit at the IRCCS "Carlo Besta" Neurological Institute of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Paolo F Nichelli
- Neurology Clinic, Department of Neuroscience, Ospedale Civile S. Agostino Estense, Modena University Hospital, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Jordan Grafman
- Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, Chicago, IL, United States.,Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Neurology, Cognitive Neurology, Alzheimer's Center, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States.,Department of Psychiatry, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Joseph E Dunsmoor
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, United States
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Saggar M, Volle E, Uddin LQ, Chrysikou EG, Green AE. Creativity and the brain: An editorial introduction to the special issue on the neuroscience of creativity. Neuroimage 2021; 231:117836. [PMID: 33549759 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.117836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Manish Saggar
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Emmanuelle Volle
- Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle Épinière (ICM), Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
| | - Lucina Q Uddin
- Department of Psychology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, USA.
| | | | - Adam E Green
- Department of Psychology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, USA
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Becker M, Kühn S, Sommer T. Verbal insight revisited — dissociable neurocognitive processes underlying solutions accompanied by an AHA! experience with and without prior restructuring. JOURNAL OF COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY 2020. [DOI: 10.1080/20445911.2020.1819297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Maxi Becker
- University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Clinic and Policlinic for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Hamburg, Germany
- Humboldt University, Department of Psychology, Berlin, Germany
| | - Simone Kühn
- University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Clinic and Policlinic for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Hamburg, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Center for Lifespan Psychology, Berlin, Germany
| | - Tobias Sommer
- University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Department of Systems Neuroscience, NeuroImage Nord, Hamburg, Germany
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