Brain Mechanisms of Intuition in Shogi Experts

Abstract

Intuition is the ability of experts to rapidly solve complicated problems that are highly difficult for the average person. We have measured the brain activity of professional and high-level amateur shogi players, and found that the basal ganglia plays an important role in the ability to rapidly determine, or intuit, the best next-move in a game situation. Additionally, we found that areas in the cingulate cortex are essential for making quick, intuitive, strategic decisions (attack or defense) at any given board position. These findings suggest that experts, after long-term, focused training, can use these evolutionarily-old brain structures for "intuitive" decision-making, which, in non-experts, are only involved in primitive behaviors.