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He WJ. Psychological capital mediates the mindfulness-creativity link: the perspective of positive psychology. Front Psychol 2024; 15:1389909. [PMID: 39268385 PMCID: PMC11390500 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1389909] [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: 02/22/2024] [Accepted: 08/13/2024] [Indexed: 09/15/2024] Open
Abstract
The positive mindfulness-creativity link has been widely documented; however, its underlying psychological mechanisms remain less understood. From the perspective of positive psychology, this study examined the mediating effect of psychological capital (PsyCap) on the effect of dispositional mindfulness on creative functioning. A total of 894 Chinese secondary school students in Hong Kong (50.8% female; M age = 15.5 years) completed the study. A cross-sectional design was used, in which context PsyCap and dispositional mindfulness were assessed by the Chinese version of the revised Compound PsyCap Scale (CPC-12R) and the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS), respectively. Moreover, by adopting the multiple-measurement approach to creativity, three commonly used creativity tests (i.e., the Wallach-Kogan Creativity Test/WKCT, the Test for Creative Thinking-Drawing Production/TCT-DP, and the Creative Problem-Solving Test/CPST) were applied to capture three aspects of creativity (i.e., divergent thinking, creative combination, and creative problem solving). The results suggest that (1) PsyCap partially but significantly mediated the mindfulness-creativity link for all three aspects of creative functioning, and (2) PsyCap demonstrated the strongest effect size in mediating the mindfulness-creativity link for creative problem solving, followed by creative combination and then divergent thinking. These results, on the one hand, support the positive psychology perspective by confirming a positive psychological resource mechanism regarding the relationship between mindfulness and creativity. On the other hand, the results regarding the varied sizes of the mediation effect further enrich the discourse on this perspective by showing that the mediation mechanism may function to different degrees depending on which aspect of creativity is under consideration. These findings illuminate the positive functioning of mindfulness, psychological resources/capital and creativity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wu-Jing He
- The Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
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2
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Dere E. Insights into conscious cognitive information processing. Front Behav Neurosci 2024; 18:1443161. [PMID: 39135748 PMCID: PMC11318070 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2024.1443161] [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: 06/03/2024] [Accepted: 07/15/2024] [Indexed: 08/15/2024] Open
Abstract
For over a century, the neuro- and pathophysiological, behavioral, and cognitive correlates of consciousness have been an active field of theoretical considerations and empirical research in a wide range of modern disciplines. Conscious cognitive processing of information cannot be observed directly, but might be inferred from step-like discontinuities in learning performance or sudden insight-based improvements in problem solving behavior. It is assumed that a sudden step of knowledge associated with insight requires a creative reorganization of mental representations of task- or problem-relevant information and the restructuration of the task, respectively problem to overcome an cognitive dead-end or impasse. Discontinuities in learning performance or problem solving after an insight event can be used as time-tags to capture the time window in which conscious cognitive information processing must have taken place. According to the platform theory of conscious cognitive information processing, the reorganization and restructuration processes, require the maintenance of task- or problem-relevant information in working memory for the operation of executive functions on these mental representations. Electrophysiological evidence suggests that the reorganization and restructuration processes in working memory, that precede insight-based problem solutions are accompanied by an increase in the power of gamma oscillations in cortical areas including the prefrontal cortex. Empirical evidence and theoretical assumptions argue for an involvement of gap junction channels and connexin hemichannels in cortical gamma-oscillations and working memory processes. Discontinuities in learning or problem solving performance might be used as time-tags to investigate the implication of gap junction channels and hemichannels in conscious cognitive processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ekrem Dere
- Department of Behavioral and Clinical Neuroscience, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
- Unité de Formation et de Recherche des Sciences de la Vie (UFR 927), Institut de Biologie Paris-Seine, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
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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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Ross W, Arfini S. Impasse-Driven problem solving: The multidimensional nature of feeling stuck. Cognition 2024; 246:105746. [PMID: 38394973 DOI: 10.1016/j.cognition.2024.105746] [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: 07/05/2023] [Revised: 02/13/2024] [Accepted: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024]
Abstract
This study reports findings across four preregistered experiments (total N = 856) that establish the multidimensional nature of impasse and resolve two paradoxes implicit in the problem-solving literature: how a state of impasse can be at once necessary to solve a problem with insight yet also have appear to have a catastrophic effect on solution rates, and why individuals such as problem-solving and gaming enthusiasts seem to seek out this apparently aversive state. We introduce a new way of measuring impasse based on qualitative reports and subsequently confirmed through quantitative analysis that exploits two aspects of impasse: its dynamic and unstable nature (it can be resolved or unresolved) and its multidimensionality in terms of feelings of cognitive speediness, motivation, and affect. The feeling of being stuck varies between resolved and unresolved impasse in terms of feelings of speediness and positive affect, but not motivation, which remains constant. We demonstrate that the feeling of insight can be reliably elicited by experiencing and resolving impasse but also in the absence of impasse, which suggests that there is more than one path to an insight experience. This adds depths to current proposals of the cognitive mechanisms underlying both insight problem-solving and impasse. Our findings are robust across a range of problem types. The novel conception of impasse in this paper as dynamic and multidimensional has implications for theories of insight problem solving, and also wider implications for understanding how impasse can be resolved across different domains such as education and design.
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5
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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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6
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Moroshkina NV, Pavliuchik EI, Ammalainen AV, Gershkovich VA, Lvova OV. The Aha! experience is associated with a drop in the perceived difficulty of the problem. Front Psychol 2024; 15:1314531. [PMID: 38323161 PMCID: PMC10844378 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1314531] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/08/2024] Open
Abstract
The study investigated the correlation between the intensity of the Aha! experience and participants' subjective difficulty ratings of problems before and after finding their solutions. We assumed that the Aha! experience arises from a shift in processing fluency triggered by changing from an initially incoherent problem representation to a coherent one, which ultimately leads to the retrieval of a solution with unexpected ease and speed. First, we hypothesized that higher Aha! experience ratings would indicate more sudden solutions, manifesting in a reduced correlation between the initial difficulty ratings and solution times. Second, we hypothesized that higher Aha! experience ratings would correspond to a greater shift in the subjective difficulty ratings between the initial and retrospective assessments. To test our hypotheses, we developed a novel set of rebus puzzles. A total of 160 participants solved rebuses and provided initial (within 5 s of problem presentation) and retrospective difficulty ratings (following the generation or presentation of a correct solution). They also rated their Aha! experience (after solution generation or presentation), confidence in solutions, and the likability of each rebus. Our findings revealed that the initial ratings of the problem's subjective difficulty were positively correlated with the solution time and that this correlation decreased in the case of a stronger Aha! experience. Aha! experience ratings were positively correlated with the differences between initial and retrospective difficulty ratings, confidence, solution accuracy, and rebus likability. We interpreted our results to be in line with the processing fluency and metacognitive prediction error accounts.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Elena I. Pavliuchik
- Institute for Cognitive Studies, St. Petersburg University, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Artur V. Ammalainen
- Institute for Cognitive Studies, St. Petersburg University, St. Petersburg, Russia
- Institute of Psychology, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | | | - Olga V. Lvova
- Institute for Cognitive Studies, St. Petersburg University, St. Petersburg, Russia
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7
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Harada T. Q-learning model of insight problem solving and the effects of learning traits on creativity. Front Psychol 2024; 14:1287624. [PMID: 38259581 PMCID: PMC10800724 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1287624] [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: 09/04/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Despite the fact that insight is a crucial component of creative thought, the means by which it is cultivated remain unknown. The effects of learning traits on insight, specifically, has not been the subject of investigation in pertinent research. This study quantitatively examines the effects of individual differences in learning traits estimated using a Q-learning model within the reinforcement learning framework and evaluates their effects on insight problem solving in two tasks, the 8-coin and 9-dot problems, which fall under the umbrella term "spatial insight problems." Although the learning characteristics of the two problems were different, the results showed that there was a transfer of learning between them. In particular, performance on the insight tasks improved with increasing experience. Moreover, loss-taking, as opposed to loss aversion, had a significant effect on performance in both tasks, depending on the amount of experience one had. It is hypothesized that loss acceptance facilitates analogical transfer between the two tasks and improves performance. In addition, this is one of the few studies that attempted to analyze insight problems using a computational approach. This approach allows the identification of the underlying learning parameters for insight problem solving.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tsutomu Harada
- Graduate School of Business Administration, Kobe University, Kobe, Japan
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8
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Hughes Z, Ball LJ, Richardson C, Judge J. A meta-analytical review of the impact of mindfulness on creativity: Framing current lines of research and defining moderator variables. Psychon Bull Rev 2023; 30:2155-2186. [PMID: 37442873 PMCID: PMC10728263 DOI: 10.3758/s13423-023-02327-w] [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: 06/02/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023]
Abstract
Findings relating to the impact of mindfulness interventions on creative performance remain inconsistent, perhaps because of discrepancies between study designs, including variability in the length of mindfulness interventions, the absence of control groups or the tendencies to explore creativity as one unitary construct. To derive a clearer understanding of the impact that mindfulness interventions may exert on creative performance, two meta-analytical reviews were conducted, drawing respectively on studies using a control group design (n = 20) and studies using a pretest-posttest design (n = 17). A positive effect was identified between mindfulness and creativity, both for control group designs (d = 0.42, 95% CIs [0.29, 0.54]) and pretest-posttest designs (d = 0.59, 95% CIs [0.38, 0.81]). Subgroup analysis revealed that intervention length, creativity task (i.e., divergent vs. convergent thinking tasks) and control group type, were significant moderators for control group studies, whereas only intervention length was a significant moderator for pretest-posttest studies. Overall, the findings support the use of mindfulness as a tool to enhance creative performance, with more advantageous outcomes for convergent as opposed to divergent thinking tasks. We discuss the implications of study design and intervention length as key factors of relevance to future research aimed at advancing theoretical accounts of the relationship between mindfulness and creativity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zoe Hughes
- School of Psychology and Computer Science, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, PR1 2HE, UK.
| | - Linden J Ball
- School of Psychology and Computer Science, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, PR1 2HE, UK
| | - Cassandra Richardson
- Department of Psychology, The University of Winchester, Winchester, SO22 4NR, UK
| | - Jeannie Judge
- School of Psychology and Computer Science, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, PR1 2HE, UK
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9
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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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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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Insight problem solving is not that special, but business is not quite 'as usual': typical versus exceptional problem-solving strategies. PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH 2023:10.1007/s00426-022-01786-5. [PMID: 36617345 PMCID: PMC10366031 DOI: 10.1007/s00426-022-01786-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2022] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
The intriguing phenomenon of insight (also known as the "Aha!" moment) has provoked a long-standing conflict over its cognitive mechanism. The special-process theory posits insight as a unique, unconscious mechanism. Conversely, the business-as-usual theory conceptualizes insight processing as ordinary and similar to non-insight, i.e., analytic, incremental, and attention demanding. To resolve this conflict, participants completed cognitive tests and solved four types of problems: verbal insight, spatial insight, verbal non-insight, and spatial non-insight. These problems were solved under three conditions: silence (control), inner speech suppression (articulatory suppression), and non-verbal attentional demands (spatial tapping). Interestingly, insight problem solving differed from verbal non-insight, but resembled spatial non-insight problem solving. Solving insight and spatial non-insight problems substantially benefitted from spatial and near verbal analogical thinking and convergent thinking, and little from divergent thinking. Both were unaffected by secondary tasks. Analogical thinking was associated more strongly with the generation of new solution procedures than with the retrieval of known procedures from memory, as in verbal non-insight problem solving. Analogical and convergent thinking seem to be key skills for the creation of new solutions, whether or not they are insight based. The results indicate a typical, analytic solution method consistent with the business-as-usual theory. Yet, there is also evidence for an exceptional solving method that includes rare attributes of the insightful process delineated by the special-process theory. Thus, we endorse an unequally integrated assertion that each theory reflects a different mode of thinking, the common versus the uncommon, by which insightful solutions can be produced.
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Alescio-Lautier B, Chambon C, Deshayes C, Anton JL, Escoffier G, Ferrer MH, Paban V. Problem-solving training modifies cognitive functioning and related functional connectivity in healthy adults. Neuropsychol Rehabil 2023; 33:103-138. [PMID: 34657550 DOI: 10.1080/09602011.2021.1987277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Cognitive functioning evolves throughout life. Regular practice of stimulating activities maintains or even strengthens cognitive skills. This study investigated the effects of a cognitive training programme based on complex closed-ended problem solving on innovative thinking. To this end, using partial least squares variance-based structural equation modeling, we first evaluated in 83 healthy adults how inhibition, cognitive flexibility, and reasoning were related to the distinct dimensions of innovative thinking. Second, we assessed how these interactions were modified after cognitive training based on problem solving in a subgroup of 16 subjects compared to leisure activity based on crossword solving in another subgroup of 15 subjects. Third, in a pilot fMRI study, we evaluated changes in brain connectivity at rest as a result of training in the problem solving group. Data on cognitive measures showed that innovative thinking was influenced by reasoning in control subjects, whereas it was influenced by cognitive flexibility following problem-solving training. These findings highlight that a cognitive intervention based on complex closed-ended problem solving promotes innovative thinking by changing the way subjects recruit and use relevant cognitive processes. Modifications in the resting-state connectivity of attention, default mode and visual networks were observed in the problem solving group.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Caroline Chambon
- Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, LNC-UMR 7291, NeuroMarseille InCiam, Marseille, France
| | - Claire Deshayes
- Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, LNC-UMR 7291, NeuroMarseille InCiam, Marseille, France
| | - Jean-Luc Anton
- Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, Centre IRM-INT@CERIMED, Institut de Neurosciences de la Timone, UMR7289 CNRS & AMU, Faculté de Médecine de la Timone, Marseille
| | - Guy Escoffier
- Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, INP, UMR 7051, Faculté de pharmacie, campus Timone Marseille, France
| | - Marie-Hélène Ferrer
- Département Neurosciences et Contraintes Opérationnelles (NCO), Institut de Recherche Biomédicale des Armées (IRBA) 91223 Brétigny-sur-Orge, Cedex, France
| | - Véronique Paban
- Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, LNC-UMR 7291, NeuroMarseille InCiam, Marseille, France
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Ammalainen A, Moroshkina N. Where Does Eureka Come From? The Effect of Unreportable Hints on the Phenomenology of Insight. J Intell 2022; 10:110. [PMID: 36412790 PMCID: PMC9703963 DOI: 10.3390/jintelligence10040110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Revised: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 11/17/2022] [Indexed: 06/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Insight interests researchers given its special cognitive mechanisms and phenomenology (an Aha! experience or Eureka moment). There is a considerable amount of research on the effect of hints on performance in insight problem solving. However, only a few studies address the effect of hints on the subjective experiences of solvers, and the picture their results provide is unclear. We analyze the effect of unreportable true and false hints on different dimensions of the Aha! experience (subjective suddenness, Aha! experience as an effect, and certainty). Using the processing fluency framework, we predict that true hints lead to more insights and stronger Aha! experience and certainty, while false hints lead to the opposite results due to the controlled inhibition of the inappropriate representation. The results showed that false hints decreased the chance of finding a correct solution. The true-hint condition did not lead to more correct solutions but made solutions feel sudden more often than the control condition. The ratings of the Aha! experience and certainty were higher for solutions obtained after true hints than after false hints. We obtained partial support for the effect of unreportable hints on "Eureka!" moments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Artur Ammalainen
- Laboratory for Cognitive Research, Russian Academy of National Economy and Public Administration, 119571 Moscow, Russia
| | - Nadezhda Moroshkina
- Institute for Cognitive Studies, Saint Petersburg State University, 199034 Saint Petersburg, Russia
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14
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Yu L. Information and the understanding of objective knowledge: a phenomenological study. JOURNAL OF DOCUMENTATION 2022. [DOI: 10.1108/jd-08-2022-0171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
PurposeThis study aims to investigate how understanding of objective knowledge (as defined by Karl Popper) is experienced by the knowledge recipient and the role that information plays in such understanding.Design/methodology/approachHusserl's phenomenological approach is applied to a sample of undergraduate students' lived experiences of understanding, collected through diaries and interviews.FindingsThis study finds that understanding of certain objective knowledge develops as the knowledge appears and eventually gives itself to consciousness through the information conveying it; different degrees of givenness of the knowledge in consciousness is experienced by the mind as different levels of understanding; a relatively solid understanding is achieved when the knowledge emerges as an erected knowledge-object in consciousness. Understanding of complex objective knowledge requires not only adequate amount (dose) of information but also corroboration of manifold information sources and formats.Research limitations/implicationsThe findings of this study apply to the understanding of objective knowledge as defined by Popper. Further research is needed to examine other types of understanding.Practical implicationsThis study informs educators and LIS professionals the typical phases in the lived experience of understanding objective knowledge, and the role of information in facilitating the understanding; it urges the two professions to take such experience into consideration when designing courses and information products/services, respectively.Originality/valueDrawing on Husserl's phenomenological approach, this study provides an intuitive account of understanding of objective knowledge, and clarifies a number of conceptual confusions within LIS concerning understanding. It may also have some cross-disciplinary relevance for reflecting education objectives and explaining the Aha! experience in psychology.
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15
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Wu CL, Su YD, Chen E, Chen PZ, Chang YL, Chen HC. Development and validation of interactive creativity task platform. Front Psychol 2022; 13:954946. [PMID: 35992391 PMCID: PMC9386566 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.954946] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2022] [Accepted: 07/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Co-creativity focuses on how individuals produce innovative ideas together. As few studies have explored co-creativity using standardized tests, it is difficult to effectively assess the individual’s creativity performance within a group. Therefore, this study aims to develop a platform that allows two individuals to answer creativity tests simultaneously. This platform includes two divergent thinking tasks, the Straw Alternative Uses Test and Bottle Alternative Uses Test, and Chinese Radical Remote Associates Test A and B, which were used to evaluate their open-and closed-ended creative problem-solving performance. This platform has two modes: single-player mode and paired-player mode. Responses from 497 adults were collected, based on which the fluency, flexibility, and originality of divergent thinking were measured. This study also developed a computer scoring technique that can automatically calculate the scores on these creativity tests. The results showed that divergent thinking scores from computer-based calculation and manual scoring were highly positively correlated, suggesting that the scores on a divergent thinking task can be calculated through a system that avoids time-consuming, uneconomical manual scoring. Overall, the two types of tests on this platform showed considerable internal consistency reliability and criterion-related validity. This advanced application facilitates the collection of empirical evidence about co-creativity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ching-Lin Wu
- Program of Learning Sciences, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Institute for Research Excellence in Learning Sciences, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan
- *Correspondence: Ching-Lin Wu, ;
| | - Yu-Der Su
- Program of Learning Sciences, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Eason Chen
- Program of Learning Sciences, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Pei-Zhen Chen
- Department of Educational Psychology and Counseling, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Lin Chang
- Department of Educational Psychology and Counseling, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Hsueh-Chih Chen
- Institute for Research Excellence in Learning Sciences, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Department of Educational Psychology and Counseling, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Chinese Language and Technology Center, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Hsueh-Chih Chen,
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16
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Caravona L, Macchi L. Different incubation tasks in insight problem solving: evidence for unconscious analytic thought. THINKING & REASONING 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/13546783.2022.2096694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Laura Caravona
- Department of Psychology, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy
| | - Laura Macchi
- Department of Psychology, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy
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17
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Tromp C, Sternberg RJ. Dynamic Creativity: A Person × Task × Situation Interaction Framework. JOURNAL OF CREATIVE BEHAVIOR 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/jocb.551] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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18
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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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19
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Lucas BJ, Mai KM. Illumination and elbow grease: A theory of how mental models of the creative process influence creativity. ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR AND HUMAN DECISION PROCESSES 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.obhdp.2021.104107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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20
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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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21
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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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22
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Bremner RP, Eisenhardt KM. Organizing Form, Experimentation, and Performance: Innovation in the Nascent Civilian Drone Industry. ORGANIZATION SCIENCE 2021. [DOI: 10.1287/orsc.2021.1505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Our aim is to explore whether the benefits to firms of using community-based innovation extend to nascent markets: uncertain, high-velocity settings with novel, often complex products. Grounded in a rare empirical comparison, we closely track the two ventures (one using community-based innovation and the other firm-based) that pioneered the nascent civilian drone market. We unpack how each addressed the three major innovations that shaped this setting. Our primary insight is that the firm organizing form for innovation performs best relative to communities in nascent markets. Firms have a coordination advantage that enables quickly and accurately targeting experimentation and problem-solving processes to reduce the many specific uncertainties that characterize these markets. Although communities can help, their task self-selection advantage works best in stable settings such as established markets with simple products (e.g., modular software) and in ambiguous settings in which low-cost randomness pays off. Broadly, we contribute a theoretical framework that identifies how organizing form and problem type jointly shape innovation performance. Most important, uncertainty forms a boundary condition for when firms should rely on firm-based (versus community-based) organizing for innovation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kathleen M. Eisenhardt
- Department of Management Science and Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305
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23
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Marsh JE, Threadgold E, Barker ME, Litchfield D, Degno F, Ball LJ. The susceptibility of compound remote associate problems to disruption by irrelevant sound: a Window onto the component processes underpinning creative cognition? JOURNAL OF COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.1080/20445911.2021.1900201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- John E. Marsh
- School of Psychology, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, UK
- Engineering Psychology, Humans and Technology, Department of Business Administration, Technology and Social Sciences, Luleå University of Technology, Luleå, Sweden
| | - Emma Threadgold
- School of Psychology, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, UK
| | - Melissa E. Barker
- School of Psychology, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, UK
- Department of Psychology, Royal Holloway, University of London, Egham, UK
| | | | - Federica Degno
- School of Psychology, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, UK
| | - Linden J. Ball
- School of Psychology, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, UK
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24
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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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25
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Abstract
Insight is described as the sudden solution of a problem and is contrasted with an analytical, step-by-step approach. Traditionally, insight is thought to be associated with activity of the right hemisphere, whereas analytical solutions are thought to be associated with activity of the left hemisphere. However, empirical evidence as to the localization of insight-related brain activity is mixed and inconclusive. Some studies seem to confirm the traditional view, whereas others do not. Moreover, results of EEG and fMRI studies frequently contradict each other. In this study, EEG and fMRI data were recorded while subjects performed the remote association test and for each solved problem were asked to report whether the solution was reached analytically or insightfully. The data were analyzed in a 16-second fragment preceding the subject’s response. Source localization techniques were used in the analysis of EEG data. Based on EEG data, insightful as compared to analytical problem solving was accompanied by high-frequency synchronization in semantic cortical areas of the left hemisphere 10–12 s before the subject’s response. Based on fMRI data, however, insightful solutions were accompanied by increased activity in frontal and temporal regions of the right hemisphere. The results are interpreted in terms of different cognitive processes involved in insightful problem solving, which could be differently reflected in EEG and fMRI data.
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26
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Ellis DM, Robison MK, Brewer GA. The Cognitive Underpinnings of Multiply-Constrained Problem Solving. J Intell 2021; 9:jintelligence9010007. [PMID: 33535470 PMCID: PMC7931021 DOI: 10.3390/jintelligence9010007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2020] [Revised: 12/18/2020] [Accepted: 01/07/2021] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Individuals encounter problems daily wherein varying numbers of constraints require delimitation of memory to target goal-satisfying information. Multiply-constrained problems, such as the compound remote associates, are commonly used to study this type of problem solving. Since their development, multiply-constrained problems have been theoretically and empirically related to creative thinking, analytical problem solving, insight problem solving, and a multitude of other cognitive abilities. In the present study, we empirically evaluated the range of cognitive abilities previously associated with multiply-constrained problem solving to assess common versus unique predictive variance (i.e., working memory, attention control, episodic and semantic memory, and fluid and crystallized intelligence). Additionally, we sought to determine whether problem-solving ability and self-reported strategy adoption (analytical or insightful) were task specific or task general through the use of novel multiply-constrained problem-solving tasks (TriBond and Location Bond). Performance across these tasks was shown to be domain general, solutions derived through insightful strategies were more often correct than those derived through analytical strategies, and crystallized intelligence was the sole cognitive ability that provided unique predictive value after accounting for all other abilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Derek M. Ellis
- Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85281, USA;
| | - Matthew K. Robison
- Department of Psychology, University of Texas Arlington, Arlington, TX 76019, USA;
| | - Gene A. Brewer
- Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85281, USA;
- Correspondence:
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27
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Korovkin S, Savinova A, Padalka J, Zhelezova A. Beautiful mind: grouping of actions into mental schemes leads to a full insight Aha! experience. JOURNAL OF COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY 2020. [DOI: 10.1080/20445911.2020.1847124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Sergei Korovkin
- Department of Psychology, Yaroslavl State University, Yaroslavl, Russia
| | - Anna Savinova
- Department of Psychology, Yaroslavl State University, Yaroslavl, Russia
| | - Julia Padalka
- Department of Psychology, Yaroslavl State University, Yaroslavl, Russia
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28
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Drążyk D, Kumka M, Zarzycka K, Zguda P, Chuderski A. No indication that the ego depletion manipulation can affect insight: a comment on DeCaro and Van Stockum (2018). THINKING & REASONING 2020. [DOI: 10.1080/13546783.2019.1649191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Dominika Drążyk
- Institute of Philosophy, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland
| | - Martyna Kumka
- Institute of Philosophy, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland
| | | | - Paulina Zguda
- Institute of Philosophy, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland
| | - Adam Chuderski
- Institute of Philosophy, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland
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29
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Chuderski A, Jastrzębski J, Kucwaj H. How physical interaction with insight problems affects solution rates, hint use, and cognitive load. Br J Psychol 2020; 112:120-143. [PMID: 32125690 DOI: 10.1111/bjop.12442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2019] [Revised: 01/31/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
So-called insight problems are widely studied because they tap into the creative thinking that is crucial for solving real problems. However, insight problems are typically presented in static formats (on paper, computer) that allow no physical interaction with the problem elements, whereas such an interaction might in fact reduce the load on limited cognitive resources, such as working memory (WM) capacity, thereby facilitating solutions. To test this proposition, 124 young adults were allowed to interact physically with nine established insight problems, while another 124 people attempted to solve these problems using paper and pencil. Additionally, hints were provided for three problems that typically no-one solves. No general facilitating effect of physical interaction was found, with only one problem clearly benefitting from it. Furthermore, making use of hints was actually hindered by physical interaction. No difference in perceived task load and correlation with WM capacity was observed between the formats, and subjective ratings of insight were virtually unaffected by presentation format. Overall, physical interaction minimally affected insight problem-solving, which appears to rely strongly on internalized cognitive processing involving WM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam Chuderski
- Institute of Philosophy, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland
| | - Jan Jastrzębski
- Institute of Philosophy, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland
| | - Hanna Kucwaj
- Institute of Psychology, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland
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30
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Brodt S, Pöhlchen D, Täumer E, Gais S, Schönauer M. Incubation, not sleep, aids problem-solving. Sleep 2019; 41:5065174. [PMID: 30113673 DOI: 10.1093/sleep/zsy155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2018] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Solving a novel problem and finding innovative solutions requires a flexible and creative recombination of prior knowledge. It is thought that setting a problem aside before giving it another try aids problem-solving. The underlying mechanisms of such an incubation period could include unconscious processing that fosters spreading activation along associated networks and the restructuring of problem representations. Recently, it has been suggested that sleep may also support problem-solving by supporting the transformation and restructuring of memory elements. Since the effect of sleep on problem-solving has been mainly tested using the Remote Associates Test, we chose three different tasks-classical riddles, visual change detection, and anagrams-to examine various aspects of problem-solving and to pinpoint task-specific prerequisites for effects of sleep or incubation to emerge. Sixty-two participants were given two attempts to solve the problems. Both attempts either occurred consecutively or were spaced apart by a 3-hour incubation interval that was spent awake or asleep. We found that a period of incubation positively affected solutions rates in classical riddles, but not in visual change detection or anagram solving. Contrary to our hypothesis, spending the incubation period asleep, did not yield any additional benefit. Our study thus supports the notion that a period of letting a problem rest is beneficial for its solution and confines the role of sleep to memory transformations that do not directly impact on problem-solving ability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Svenja Brodt
- Institute of Medical Psychology and Behavioral Neurobiology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Dorothee Pöhlchen
- Institute of Medical Psychology and Behavioral Neurobiology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.,Department of Psychology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Esther Täumer
- Department of Psychology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Steffen Gais
- Institute of Medical Psychology and Behavioral Neurobiology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Monika Schönauer
- Institute of Medical Psychology and Behavioral Neurobiology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
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31
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Wu CL, Tsai MN, Chen HC. The neural mechanism of pure and pseudo-insight problem solving. THINKING & REASONING 2019. [DOI: 10.1080/13546783.2019.1663763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Ching-Lin Wu
- Program of Learning Sciences, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Institute for Research Excellence in Learning Sciences, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Meng-Ning Tsai
- Department of Educational Psychology and Counselling, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Hsueh-Chih Chen
- Institute for Research Excellence in Learning Sciences, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Department of Educational Psychology and Counselling, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Chinese Language and Technology Center, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan
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32
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Abstract
Whether internal insight can be recognized by experiencing (somatic feeling) remains an unexplored problem. This study investigated the issue by examining potential somatic markers of the "aha" experience occurring at the moment of sudden insight. Participants were required to solve a set of compound remote associates (CRA) problems and were simultaneously monitored via electrodermal and cardiovascular recordings. The "aha"-related psychological components and somatic markers were determined by contrasting insightful solutions with non-insightful solutions. Results showed that the "aha" experience was an amalgam entailing positive affects and approached cognition accompanied by a greater mean skin conductance response (mSCR) amplitude and a marginally accelerated heart rate than the "no-aha" one. These results confirm and extend findings of the multidimensionality of the "aha" feeling and offer the first direct evidence of somatic markers, particularly an electrodermal signature of an "aha" feeling, which suggests a sudden insight could likely be experienced by individuals' external soma.
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33
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Ishikawa T, Toshima M, Mogi K. How and When? Metacognition and Solution Timing Characterize an "Aha" Experience of Object Recognition in Hidden Figures. Front Psychol 2019; 10:1023. [PMID: 31178774 PMCID: PMC6538685 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2018] [Accepted: 04/17/2019] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The metacognitive feelings of an "aha!" experience are key to comprehending human subjective experience. However, behavioral characteristics of this introspective cognition are not well known. An aha experience sometimes occurs when one gains a solution abruptly in problem solving, a subjective experience that subserves the conscious perception of an insight. We experimentally induced an aha experience in a hidden object recognition task, and analyzed whether this aha experience was associated with metacognitive judgments and behavioral features. We used an adaptation of Mooney images, i.e., morphing between a grayscale image and its binarised image in 100 steps, to investigate the phenomenology associated with insight: aha experience, confidence, suddenness, and pleasure. Here we show that insight solutions are more accurate than non-insight solutions. As metacognitive judgments, participants' confidence in the correctness of their solution is higher in insight than non-insight problem solving. Intensities of the aha feeling are positively correlated with subjective rating scores of both suddenness and pleasure, features that show marked signs of unexpected positive emotions. The strength of the aha experience is also positively correlated with response times from the onset of presentation until finding the solution, or with task difficulty only if the solution confidence is high enough. Our findings provide metacognitive and temporal conditions for an aha experience, characterizing features distinct from those supporting non-aha experience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tetsuo Ishikawa
- Medical Sciences Innovation Hub Program, RIKEN, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Mayumi Toshima
- Digital Content and Media Sciences Research Division, National Institute of Informatics, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Ken Mogi
- Sony Computer Science Laboratories, Inc., Tokyo, Japan
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34
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Wu CL, Chen HC. The Influence of Creativity on Incongruity-Resolution and Nonsense Humor Comprehension. CREATIVITY RESEARCH JOURNAL 2019. [DOI: 10.1080/10400419.2019.1577675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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35
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Reed SK, Vallacher RR. A comparison of information processing and dynamical systems perspectives on problem solving. THINKING & REASONING 2019. [DOI: 10.1080/13546783.2019.1605930] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Stephen K. Reed
- Psychology and CRMSE, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Robin R. Vallacher
- Department of Psychology, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL, USA
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36
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Once more with feeling: Normative data for the aha experience in insight and noninsight problems. Behav Res Methods 2019; 50:2035-2056. [PMID: 29052169 DOI: 10.3758/s13428-017-0972-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Despite the presumed ability of insight problems to elicit the subjective feeling of insight, as well as the use of so-called insight problems to investigate this phenomenon for over 100 years, no research has collected normative data regarding the ability of insight problems to actually elicit the feeling of insight in a given individual. The work described in this article provides an overview of both classic and contemporary problems used to examine the construct of insight and presents normative data on the success rate, mean time to solution, and mean rating of aha experience for each problem and task type. We suggest using these data in future work as a reference for selecting problems on the basis of their ability to elicit an aha experience.
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37
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Threadgold E, Marsh JE, McLatchie N, Ball LJ. Background music stints creativity: Evidence from compound remote associate tasks. APPLIED COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY 2019. [DOI: 10.1002/acp.3532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Emma Threadgold
- School of PsychologyUniversity of Central Lancashire Preston UK
| | - John E. Marsh
- School of PsychologyUniversity of Central Lancashire Preston UK
- Department of Building, Energy and Environmental EngineeringUniversity of Gävle Gävle Sweden
| | - Neil McLatchie
- Department of PsychologyLancaster University Lancaster UK
| | - Linden J. Ball
- School of PsychologyUniversity of Central Lancashire Preston UK
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38
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Bianchi I, Branchini E, Burro R, Capitani E, Savardi U. Overtly prompting people to “think in opposites” supports insight problem solving. THINKING & REASONING 2019. [DOI: 10.1080/13546783.2018.1553738] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ivana Bianchi
- Department of Humanities, Section of Philosophy and Human Sciences, University of Macerata, Macerata, Italy
| | - Erika Branchini
- Department of Human Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Roberto Burro
- Department of Human Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Elena Capitani
- Department of Education, Cultural Heritage and Tourism, University of Macerata, Macerata, Italy
| | - Ugo Savardi
- Department of Human Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
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Webb ME, Cropper SJ, Little DR. “Aha!” is stronger when preceded by a “huh?”: presentation of a solution affects ratings of aha experience conditional on accuracy. THINKING & REASONING 2019. [DOI: 10.1080/13546783.2018.1523807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Margaret E. Webb
- Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
| | - Simon J. Cropper
- Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
| | - Daniel R. Little
- Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
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Threadgold E, Marsh JE, Ball LJ. Normative Data for 84 UK English Rebus Puzzles. Front Psychol 2018; 9:2513. [PMID: 30618942 PMCID: PMC6300574 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.02513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2018] [Accepted: 11/26/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent investigations have established the value of using rebus puzzles in studying the insight and analytic processes that underpin problem solving. The current study sought to validate a pool of 84 rebus puzzles in terms of their solution rates, solution times, error rates, solution confidence, self-reported solution strategies, and solution phrase familiarity. All of the puzzles relate to commonplace English sayings and phrases in the United Kingdom. Eighty-four rebus puzzles were selected from a larger stimulus set of 168 such puzzles and were categorized into six types in relation to the similarity of their structures. The 84 selected problems were thence divided into two sets of 42 items (Set A and Set B), with rebus structure evenly balanced between each set. Participants (N = 170; 85 for Set A and 85 for Set B) were given 30 s to solve each item, subsequently indicating their confidence in their solution and self-reporting the process used to solve the problem (analysis or insight), followed by the provision of ratings of the familiarity of the solution phrases. The resulting normative data yield solution rates, error rates, solution times, confidence ratings, self-reported strategies and familiarity ratings for 84 rebus puzzles, providing valuable information for the selection and matching of problems in future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma Threadgold
- School of Psychology, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, United Kingdom
| | - John E Marsh
- School of Psychology, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, United Kingdom.,Department of Building, Energy and Environmental Engineering, University of Gävle, Gävle, Sweden
| | - Linden J Ball
- School of Psychology, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, United Kingdom
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Abstract
Problem-solving research in the field of psychology has been closely linked to laboratory investigations throughout its development. However, there is a questionable conceptual assumption underlying this commitment to the laboratory, namely the assumption that one can reduce all problem-solving behavior to a cognitive mechanism. Upon validating this assumption from a phenomenological standpoint, doubts about its foundations emerge. For when we consider the experiential conditions that characterize a problematic situation, we come to determine several phenomenal aspects that are not taken into account in this approach. A phenomenologically revised notion of the problem therefore demands a modification of the scope of the empirical research. First, this paper investigates the configuration of the laboratory as an arena of experience based on Lewin's field theory. This investigation indicates instructions as a key component of the laboratory. Second, a phenomenological description proposes a novel understanding of the problem. In this part it is shown that it is wrong to presume that problematic situations can be evoked arbitrarily by instructions. Finally, further contemplations help outlining the empirical requirements for exhaustive research. They call for novel paradigms in empirical psychology, such as live streaming, which are more faithful to the phenomenology of problems.
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Hill G, Kemp SM. Connect 4: A Novel Paradigm to Elicit Positive and Negative Insight and Search Problem Solving. Front Psychol 2018; 9:1755. [PMID: 30410453 PMCID: PMC6209650 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01755] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2018] [Accepted: 08/30/2018] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Researchers have typically defined insight as a sudden new idea or understanding accompanied by an emotional feeling of Aha. Recently, examples of negative insight in everyday creative problem solving have been identified. These are seen as sudden and sickening moments of realization experienced as an Uh-oh rather than Aha. However, such experiences have yet to be explored from an experimental perspective. One barrier to doing so is that methods to elicit insight in the laboratory are constrained to positive insight. This study therefore aimed to develop a novel methodology that elicits both positive and negative insight solving, and additionally provides the contrasting experiences of analytic search solving in the same controlled conditions. The game of Connect 4 was identified as having the potential to produce these experiences, with each move representing a solving episode (where best to place the counter). Eighty participants played six games of Connect 4 against a computer and reported each move as being a product of positive search, positive insight, negative search or negative insight. Phenomenological ratings were then collected to provide validation of the experiences elicited. The results demonstrated that playing Connect 4 saw reporting of insight and search experiences that were both positive and negative, with the majority of participants using all four solving types. Phenomenological ratings suggest that these reported experiences were comparable to those elicited by existing laboratory methods focused on positive insight. This establishes the potential for Connect 4 to be used in future problem solving research as a reliable elicitation tool of insight and search experiences for both positive and negative solving. Furthermore, Connect 4 may be seen to offer more true to life solving experiences than other paradigms where a series of problems are solved working toward an overall superordinate goal rather than the presentation of stand-alone and un-related problems. Future work will need to look to develop versions of Connect 4 with greater control in order to fully utilize this methodology for creative problem solving research in experimental psychology and neuroscience contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gillian Hill
- Department of Psychology, University of Buckingham, Buckingham, United Kingdom
| | - Shelly M Kemp
- Learning and Teaching Institute, University of Chester, Chester, United Kingdom
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43
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Beaman CP. The Literary and Recent Scientific History of the Earworm: A Review and Theoretical Framework. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2018. [DOI: 10.1080/25742442.2018.1533735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- C. Philip Beaman
- School of Psychology & Clinical Language Sciences, University of Reading, Reading, UK
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44
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Tracking the neurodynamics of insight: A meta-analysis of neuroimaging studies. Biol Psychol 2018; 138:189-198. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2018.08.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2018] [Revised: 08/09/2018] [Accepted: 08/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
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Mumford MD, Martin R, Elliott S, McIntosh T. Creative Failure: Why Can't People Solve Creative Problems. JOURNAL OF CREATIVE BEHAVIOR 2018. [DOI: 10.1002/jocb.372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
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46
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Friedlander KJ, Fine PA. "The Penny Drops": Investigating Insight Through the Medium of Cryptic Crosswords. Front Psychol 2018; 9:904. [PMID: 30018576 PMCID: PMC6037892 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00904] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2017] [Accepted: 05/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
A new protocol for eliciting insight (“Aha!”/Eureka) moments is proposed, involving the solving of British-style cryptic crosswords. The mechanics of cryptic crossword clues are briefly explained, and the process is set into the insight literature, with parallels being drawn between several different types of cryptic crossword clues and other insight-triggering problems such as magic, jokes, anagrams, rebus, and remote association puzzles (RAT), as well as “classic” thematic or spatial challenges. We have evidence from a previous survey of cryptic crossword solvers that the “Aha!” moment is the most important driver of continued participation in this hobby, suggesting that the positive emotional “payback” has an energizing effect on a participant's motivation to continue solving. Given the success with which a good quality cryptic crossword elicits “Aha!” moments, cryptics should prove highly valuable in exploring insight under lab conditions. We argue that the crossword paradigm overcomes many of the issues which beset other insight problems: for example, solution rates of cryptic crossword clues are high; new material can easily be commissioned, leading to a limitless pool of test items; and each puzzle contains clues resembling a wide variety of insight problem types, permitting a comparison of heterogeneous solving mechanisms within the same medium. Uniquely among insight problems, considerations of expertise also come into play, allowing us to explore how crossword solving experts handle the deliberate misdirection of the cryptic clue more effectively than non-expert, but equally experienced, peers. Many have debated whether there is such a thing as an “insight problem” per se: typically, problems can be solved with or without insight, depending on the context. We argue that the same is true for cryptic crosswords, and that the key to the successful triggering of insight may lie in both the difficulty of the challenge and the degree to which misdirection has been used. Future research is outlined which explores the specific mechanisms of clue difficulty. This opens the way to an exploration of potential links between solving constraints and the experiencing of the “Aha!” moment, which may shed light on the cognitive processes involved in insight solution.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Philip A Fine
- Department of Psychology, University of Buckingham, Buckingham, United Kingdom
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Ellis DM, Brewer GA. Aiding the search: Examining individual differences in multiply-constrained problem solving. Conscious Cogn 2018; 62:21-33. [PMID: 29723709 DOI: 10.1016/j.concog.2018.04.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2017] [Revised: 02/27/2018] [Accepted: 04/17/2018] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
Understanding and resolving complex problems is of vital importance in daily life. Problems can be defined by the limitations they place on the problem solver. Multiply-constrained problems are traditionally examined with the compound remote associates task (CRAT). Performance on the CRAT is partially dependent on an individual's working memory capacity (WMC). These findings suggest that executive processes are critical for problem solving and that there are reliable individual differences in multiply-constrained problem solving abilities. The goals of the current study are to replicate and further elucidate the relation between WMC and CRAT performance. To achieve these goals, we manipulated preexposure to CRAT solutions and measured WMC with complex-span tasks. In Experiment 1, we report evidence that preexposure to CRAT solutions improved problem solving accuracy, WMC was correlated with problem solving accuracy, and that WMC did not moderate the effect of preexposure on problem solving accuracy. In Experiment 2, we preexposed participants to correct and incorrect solutions. We replicated Experiment 1 and found that WMC moderates the effect of exposure to CRAT solutions such that high WMC participants benefit more from preexposure to correct solutions than low WMC (although low WMC participants have preexposure benefits as well). Broadly, these results are consistent with theories of working memory and problem solving that suggest a mediating role of attention control processes.
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Henok N, Vallée-Tourangeau F, Vallée-Tourangeau G. Incubation and interactivity in insight problem solving. PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH 2018; 84:128-139. [PMID: 29480412 PMCID: PMC6994426 DOI: 10.1007/s00426-018-0992-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2017] [Accepted: 02/12/2018] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Insight is commonly viewed as originating from the restructuring of a mental representation. Distributed cognition frameworks such as the Systemic Thinking Model (SysTM, Vallée-Tourangeau and Vallée-Tourangeau, Cognition beyond the brain: interactivity and human thinking, pp 133–154, 2017), however, assumes that information processing can be transformed when it is distributed across mental and material resources. The experiments reported here investigated whether interactivity enhanced incubation effects with the cheap necklace problem. Participants attempted to solve the problem in a low-interactivity condition with pen and paper or in a high-interactivity condition with a set of metal chains. Performance was substantially better in a task environment that fostered a higher degree of interactivity at Time 1. There was evidence of an incubation effect as participants significantly improved in performance after a 2-week gap, particularly in the high-interactivity condition. Experiment 2 showed that the context within which people can enact their thinking following incubation is key to improve problem-solving performance. When the problem presentation changed after a 2-week gap (low interactivity to high interactivity or high interactivity to low interactivity), performance only improved for those who worked on a highly interactive task at Time 2. Taken together, these findings underscore the importance of adopting a systemic perspective when investigating incubation effects in problem solving.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niyat Henok
- Department of Management, Kingston University Business School, Kingston-upon-Thames, KT2 7LB, UK.
| | | | - Gaëlle Vallée-Tourangeau
- Department of Management, Kingston University Business School, Kingston-upon-Thames, KT2 7LB, UK.
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49
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Schönauer M, Brodt S, Pöhlchen D, Breßmer A, Danek AH, Gais S. Sleep Does Not Promote Solving Classical Insight Problems and Magic Tricks. Front Hum Neurosci 2018; 12:72. [PMID: 29535620 PMCID: PMC5834438 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2018.00072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2017] [Accepted: 02/09/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
During creative problem solving, initial solution attempts often fail because of self-imposed constraints that prevent us from thinking out of the box. In order to solve a problem successfully, the problem representation has to be restructured by combining elements of available knowledge in novel and creative ways. It has been suggested that sleep supports the reorganization of memory representations, ultimately aiding problem solving. In this study, we systematically tested the effect of sleep and time on problem solving, using classical insight tasks and magic tricks. Solving these tasks explicitly requires a restructuring of the problem representation and may be accompanied by a subjective feeling of insight. In two sessions, 77 participants had to solve classical insight problems and magic tricks. The two sessions either occurred consecutively or were spaced 3 h apart, with the time in between spent either sleeping or awake. We found that sleep affected neither general solution rates nor the number of solutions accompanied by sudden subjective insight. Our study thus adds to accumulating evidence that sleep does not provide an environment that facilitates the qualitative restructuring of memory representations and enables problem solving.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monika Schönauer
- Institute of Medical Psychology and Behavioral Neurobiology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Svenja Brodt
- Institute of Medical Psychology and Behavioral Neurobiology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Dorothee Pöhlchen
- Institute of Medical Psychology and Behavioral Neurobiology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Department of Psychology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Anja Breßmer
- Department of Psychology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Amory H. Danek
- Division of Neurobiology, Department Biology II, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Steffen Gais
- Institute of Medical Psychology and Behavioral Neurobiology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
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Affiliation(s)
- Marci S. DeCaro
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, USA
| | - Charles A. Van Stockum
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, USA
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