Dynamics and constraints in insight problem solving.

Ormerod, TC, MacGregor, JN and Chronicle, EP (2002) Dynamics and constraints in insight problem solving. J Exp Psychol Learn Mem Cogn, 28 (4). pp. 791-799.

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Abstract

This article reports 2 experiments that investigated performance on a novel insight problem, the 8-coin problem. The authors hypothesized that participants would make certain initial moves (strategic moves) that seemed to make progress according to the problem instructions but that nonetheless would guarantee failure to solve the problem. Experiment 1 manipulated the starting state of the problem and showed that overall solution rates were lower when such strategic moves were available. Experiment 2 showed that failure to capitalize on visual hints about the correct first move was also associated with the availability of strategic moves. The results are interpreted in terms of an information-processing framework previously applied to the 9-dot problem. The authors argue that in addition to the operation of inappropriate constraints, a full account of insight problem solving must incorporate a dynamic that steers solution-seeking activity toward the constraints.

Item Type:	Article
Divisions :	Surrey research (other units)
Authors :	Name Email ORCID Ormerod, TC t.ormerod@surrey.ac.uk MacGregor, JN Chronicle, EP
Date :	July 2002
Uncontrolled Keywords :	Attention, Awareness, Concept Formation, Humans, Orientation, Pattern Recognition, Visual, Probability Learning, Problem Solving, Psychomotor Performance
Related URLs :	Author
Depositing User :	Symplectic Elements
Date Deposited :	17 May 2017 09:58
Last Modified :	24 Jan 2020 18:11
URI:	http://epubs.surrey.ac.uk/id/eprint/825856

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