INSIGHT PROBLEM OR INSIGHTFUL SOLUTION: IS IT STILL WORTH USING INSIGHT PROBLEMS TO INVESTIGATE INSIGHT?

Abstract

Traditional insight studies assumed that there is a special class of problems called “insight problems” whose solution would cause feelings of insight. However, it has been previous shown that insight problems can be solved in both insightful (with Aha! experience) and step-by-step (without Aha! experience) ways, and exactly the same is observed for analytical problems. The present work addresses the question whether it is sufficient to use the problem types to detect insightful feelings or whether it is necessary to use the solution types. For this purpose we collected the dataset of previously published open data which used Danek and Wiley’s questionnaire for subjective ratings of insight phenomenology. Joint analysis showed that using solution types provided greater benefits for insight investigation than using problem types: insightful solutions were more pleasant, sudden, and relieving than step-by-step solutions, but insight and analytical problems differed from each other on only suddenness scale. We concluded that relying only on the problem type is not the best strategy for investigation of insight, because insight and analytical problems are quite similar in terms of the Aha! experience. The use of solution types is much more fruitful and distinguishes various situations in the process of problem solving. The obtain results were interpretated in the context of relationships between the Aha! experience and representational change.