Paradoxical influence of exogenous cues and endogenous activity on insight problem solving

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K18237
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Cognitive science; Experimental psychology
• Research Institution: University of East Asia (2018-2019); Ritsumeikan University (2017)
• Principal Investigator: Orita Ryo 東亜大学, 人間科学部, 准教授 (90738238)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 洞察問題解決 / 潜在過程 / 抑制 / 認知コントロール / 感情 / 覚醒度

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Insight problem solvers can use the exogenous hints and search the solution in implicit process. However, the beneficial effects of implicit hints on insight problem solving are unstable. Some previous studies showed that the presentation of implicit hints had no effect or aversive effect on the insight problem solving. Our studies showed that the paradoxical effects of implicit hint were regulated by the solvers’ affective states. Moreover, solvers’ inhibitory control interrupted the use of implicit hints, and the influence of solvers’ affective state on the use of hint were mediated by the interruption of inhibitory control. Furthermore, we devised a set of 80 RAT problems that were intended to have the solver reach an impasse by evoking a certain fixed term and have an experience of surprise (“Aha!”) when they finally find their solution.

Free Research Field

認知科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

創造的なアイデアを得ることは難しい。そのため我々は，古いアイデアからの脱却を試みるのと同時に，何か手がかりが得ようと外界に注意を向ける。これらの活動が創造性を促すことは，心理学や認知科学の研究知見にも裏付けられている。ところが，二つの促進的活動を同時に行うと，洞察問題の解決がかえって阻害されるという皮肉な結果は，既存の研究では説明できず，創造的思考の新たな側面を表す知見である点で，本研究の学術上の特色と貢献がある。