Problem-Solving Strategies: Insight vs Non-Insight Problems

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Questions and Answers

What is the primary difference in brain activity between solving insight problems and non-insight problems?

Increased activity in the left frontal-temporal cortex

Decreased activity in the right cerebral hemisphere

A burst of high-frequency gamma-band EEG activity over the right anterior temporal lobe (correct)

Enhanced blood flow in the occipital lobe

What is the effect of direct stimulation of right frontal-temporal cortex on insight problem-solving?

It enhances solving of insight problems (correct)

It disrupts solving of insight problems

It has no effect on solving insight problems

It only affects solving of non-insight problems

Which hemisphere is more specialized for logical reasoning and language processing?

Left hemisphere (correct)

Neither hemisphere is specialized for logical reasoning and language processing

Right hemisphere

Both hemispheres are equally specialized

What is the effect of priming people to think about the distant future on their problem-solving abilities?

It biases them to think abstractly and perform better on insight and creativity tasks Signup and view all the answers

What is the characteristic of attention in insightful individuals during the resting state?

Reduced occipital alpha-band EEG activity Signup and view all the answers

What is the effect of positive mood on insight problem-solving?

It facilitates insight problem-solving Signup and view all the answers

What is the effect of extrinsic motivation on creativity?

It reduces creativity Signup and view all the answers

What is the characteristic of EEG activity in the right occipital cortex during the preparation phase prior to the presentation of an insight problem?

Increased alpha-band activity Signup and view all the answers

What is the relationship between broad associations and positive mood?

Positive mood increases broad associations Signup and view all the answers

What is the effect of intrinsic motivation on creativity?

It increases creativity Signup and view all the answers

What is the main implication of confirmation bias in medical diagnosis and psychotherapy?

Therapists may only ask questions geared towards confirming their initial view Signup and view all the answers

What is the main pitfall of a mental set?

Approaching a problem in a way that has been successful in the past Signup and view all the answers

What is the Nine Dot problem an example of?

Insight problem Signup and view all the answers

What is the main characteristic of functional fixedness?

Thinking of things in terms of their usual functions Signup and view all the answers

What is the Candle problem an example of?

Functional fixedness Signup and view all the answers

What is the Horse-and-rider problem an example of?

Insight problem Signup and view all the answers

What is the consequence of being offered a reward for being creative?

Reduced creativity Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of incubation in problem-solving?

To break out of mental set and see the problem in a new way Signup and view all the answers

What is the effect of watching a comedy film on problem-solving?

It increases creativity Signup and view all the answers

What is the benefit of brainstorming in fostering creativity?

It suspends criticism and promotes idea generation Signup and view all the answers

What is the effect of distraction on complex decision-making?

It increases the quality of decisions Signup and view all the answers

What is the relationship between a messy desk and creativity?

A messy desk may promote creativity in some individuals Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Insight and Non-Insight Problems

Insight: a sudden and often novel realization of the solution to a problem, contrasting with strategy-based solutions
Insight problems are solved when the answer appears suddenly, whereas non-insight problems are solved gradually

Neural Basis of Insight

Critical components of insight are associated with the right cerebral hemisphere (Kounios and Beeman, 2014)
EEG shows a burst of high-frequency gamma-band activity over the right anterior temporal lobe when solving problems by insight
fMRI shows a corresponding change in blood flow in this area
Direct stimulation of right frontal-temporal cortex coupled with inhibition of left frontal-temporal cortex enhances solving of insight problems

Characteristics of Insightful Individuals

Insightful individuals show greater right hemisphere activity at rest, relative to analytic individuals
They show more externally oriented attention and reduced occipital alpha-band EEG activity
They have greater internal focus of attention during the preparation phase prior to the presentation of the insight problem

Factors Affecting Insight

Priming people to think about the distant future biases them to think abstractly, causing them to perform better on insight and creativity tasks
Positive mood facilitates insight, probably by increasing attentional scope to include weakly activated solution possibilities
Broad associations and positive mood are bidirectionally related

Creativity

Creativity: finding a solution that is novel and useful
To foster creativity and insight, promote conditions that allow thought and perceptual processes to run more freely
Intrinsic motivation promotes high levels of creativity, while extrinsic motivation can reduce creativity

Biases and Heuristics

Confirmation bias: tendency to ask questions that confirm a preconceived notion, leading to inaccurate judgments
Mental set: tendency to approach a problem in a particular way, especially a way that has been successful in the past but may not be helpful in solving a new problem
Functional fixedness: tendency to think of things only in terms of their usual functions

Techniques for Fostering Creativity

Brainstorming: suspending criticism and generating ideas to facilitate creativity
Incubation: taking a break when stuck on a problem, helping to break out of mental set and see the problem in a new way

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Description

Test your understanding of problem-solving strategies, including insight and non-insight problems, and how they differ in terms of solution approaches and neural basis. Explore the role of the right cerebral hemisphere in insight and learn how to distinguish between sudden and gradual problem-solving methods.