The psychology of insight Flashcards
What is insight?
A change in conceptual understanding that allows a solution to a problem to be discovered and repeated in the future.
aha moment
The nature of insight:
Example
The 9 dot problem-
You have to draw 4 straight lines so that a line goes through every dot. But you can’t take your pen off the page- lines have to be continuous
The nature of insight:
phenomena and gestalt accounts
Phenomena
* Simple to state, hard to solve
* Fixation (functional fixedness)
* Impasse (point where you can’t think of anything else)
* ‘Aha’ (suddenly solution comes to your mind eurekka moment)
* Incubation
Gestalt accounts – perceptual ‘whole’ limit moves to inside the square
The importance of insight- practice
To understand things like puzzle of thames barrier
Thames barrier:
Barrier to prevent flood risks- barrier was built to close once or twice a year however it has been closed much more frequently recently
Solution- strap another meter length
The importance of insight- theory
Consciousness
— Do we control our own thinking?
Determinism
— Productive vs. reproductive thought?
Modularity
— Is insight a ‘special process’?
problem of cognitive psychology- we kick problems into problem brain has to solve
What are the 3 theories of insight?
- Representational change theory
* Knoblich et al (1999)
* its what you know that makes the problem hard - Criterion of Satisfactory progress
* MacGregor, Ormerod & Chronicle (2001)
* its what you do that makes the problem hard (when people try to solve problems they try to maximise as many ways as possible. If you can tell people to stop maximising, then they’ll be able to solve) - Multiple factor theory
* Kershaw & Ohlsson (2004)
Combination of every theory, it is due to all of the below
* Perceptual factors (Gestalt)
* Knowledge factors
* Search factors
Untestable as everything matters
Testing the effects of knowledge
Knoblich et al (1999)
Matchstick algebra- move one stick only to make the sum work
IV = V + II -> IV = VI - II (75%)
is easier than
III = III + III -> III = III = III (40%)
Prior knowledge imposes a constraint- we’re less likely to move something thats coupled tightly in our prior knowledge
Found- solution rates are higher when the bit of maths you have to change has a narrower scope than the maths shown on the second example
Testing the effects of strategy …
MacGregor et al (2001)
The line within the square had higher solution than the other (but you would think it would be the other way around).
65% compared to 43%
Testing knowledge and strategy together:
The eight-coin problem
Ormerod, Chronicle & MacGregor, JEP: LM&C (2002)
Transform an initial array so each coin touches exactly three others, moving two coins only.
Solution is to take the middle two and stack them on the others
Insight here is to work in three dimensions
Testing representational change against our theory
This was done by providing a visual hint. Which was taking one of the eight coins and stacking it neatly on top of another coin. So the hint to use three dimensions was there.
In the no hint condition- varied the number of cases where you could move the coin to where it came to touch exactly 2 others. So they’d taken away any hint of progress. Had to start doing things that were different to just moving them around.
The eight-coin problem
Verbal hints (after 6 mins)
- The solution requires the creation of two groups of coins.
- The solution requires the use of three dimensions
The eight-coin problem results
In the first 6 mins, being given the visual hint helped a little bit.
Once people were told it needs two groups, having the visual hint really begins to help
But when you get the final hint, the thing that really helps as well as having that is there are no moves available. So you’re more able to capitalise on the solution relevant information if you’re not being distracted by trying to make progress in the wrong way.
So it does seem that both of our theories are contributingto our problem solving ability. We are being blocked to some extent by prior knowledge and facilitated by good hints. But at the same time we have to stop trying to make progress in the wrong ways.
Analogy meaning?
Same basic underlying conceptual structure and the same underlying abstract solution but superficially it sounds very very different
Enhancing insight: analogy
- Analogical transfer from example to new problem;
- Fundamental to education and learning theories;
- Rarely spontaneous (instead you have to give people a massive hint to make the analogy)
Gick & Holyoak, 1980, Expt. 4;
FORTRESS problem → RADIATION problem
Radiation problem:
Doctor who has incurable tumour- you know that surgery will kill them
A machine has been created which can fire a radiation beam and destroy the tumour. However if you point it at a certain angle it will kill all healthy tissue and the patient will die
Gick and Holyoak gave people a source problem and its solution and saw if they could transfer it
