10. Insight and Analogy

Question 1

Define Insight
A c____ in c____ understanding that allows a s____ to a p____ to be discovered and r____ in the f____

Answer 1

Change, conceptual, solution, problem, repeated, future

Question 2

Who proposed the Representational change theory of insight and in what year?
Which is the main principle of this theory?

Answer 2

Knoblich et al, 1999
It’s what you KNOW that makes the problem hard

Question 3

Who proposed the Criterion of Satisfactory progress theory of insight and in what year?
What is the main principle of this theory?

Answer 3

MacGregor, Ormerod & Chronicle, 2001
It’s what you DO that makes the problem hard

Question 4

One way to test the effects of knowledge is using matchstick algebra. What do you have to do in this task?

Answer 4

Move one stick only to make the sum work

Question 5

What is one problem that can be used to test knowledge and strategy together?
What must you do in this problem?

Answer 5

The eight-coin problem
Make each coin touch exactly three others, moving two coins only

Question 6

What two verbal hints were people given in the eight-coin problem after 6 minutes?

Answer 6

1. The solution requires the creation of two groups of coins
2. The solution requires the use of three dimensions

Question 7

Define fixation

Answer 7

Trying the same thing again, and again, and again

Question 8

Define impasse

Answer 8

Try to a point you can’t think of anything else to try, so case to try anything

Question 9

Define an ‘Aha’ moment

Answer 9

Suddenly out of nowhere, solution seems to come to mind (solution seems to ‘come to you’)

Question 10

Define incubation

Answer 10

If you start a problem and can’t solve it, put it to one side and when you start trying to solve it again, you will find it easier

Question 12

Gestalt accounts state that the perceptual ‘____’ limits moves in the 9-dot problem

Answer 12

whole

Question 13

What is meant by consciousness in thinking?

Answer 13

The extent to which we are in control of our own thinking

Question 14

What is meant by determinism in thinking?

Answer 14

Is the way we think determined by previous experience? Or can we have new ideas ourselves by putting together knowledge?

Question 15

What is meant by the concept of modularity of thought?

Answer 15

Maybe we have a ‘module’ of insight for thinking, does the brain specialise in area for something as high level as thinking?

Question 16

The Representational change theory believes we bring knowledge from ____ experience into how we form ____ of new problem. If we ____ a problem, we can then solve it.

Answer 16

Pervious, representations, re-represent

Question 17

The Criterion of Satisfactory progress theory believes if we get a new problem, we ….. If this works, then we …., if it doesn’t work, then we ….
We set ____ for what we need to achieve in order to keep going

Answer 17

Try things
Keep trying
Try something else
Criterion

Question 18

The criterion of satisfactory progress theory states we use prior knowledge of all ____ ____ in problem. We look at what we’ve already tried and then try to calculate a ____ that’s different, then use this to help solve the problem.

Answer 18

failed attempts
property

Question 19

Failure is the source of what?

Answer 19

Insight

Question 20

People must get to the point of ____ to use hints they’re given

Answer 20

impasse

Question 21

Analogys are transferred from ____ to ____ ____

Answer 21

Example
New problem

Question 22

Analogys are fundamental to ____ and ____ theories

Answer 22

Education, Learning

Question 23

Analogys are rarely used ____, you have to…

Answer 23

Spontaneously
Have to tell people to do it

Question 24

In the radiation problem, how many people solved it when they were/weren’t told to use the castle analogy?

Answer 24

Hint = 92%
No hint = 20%

Question 25

What is divergent thinking?
How does incubation help?

Answer 25

Thinking of “not normal” things e.g. other ways you can use a brick
Any kind of incubation helps - leave it and come back will generate more ideas

Question 26

How does incubation help with visual insight tasks?

Answer 26

Incubation only works when person has reached impasse

Question 27

How does incubation help with linguistic insight?

Answer 27

Incubation works but have to be doing something during the incubation period (e.g. counting in 3s backwards)

Question 28

Sleep ____ problem solving

Answer 28

enhances