Event-Related Potential Effects Associated with Insight Problem Solving in a Chinese Logogriph Task

Qiang Xing,John X Zhang,Zhonglu Zhang

doi:10.4236/psych.2012.31011

Abstract

The electrophysiological correlates of insight and non-insight problems solving were studied using event- related potentials (ERPs). Participants were given some time to guess Chinese logogriphs and then presented with an answer to judge whether it matched the logogriph. Results showed that the insight trials elicited a more negative ERP deflection (N300-500) than did the non-insight trials in most scalp regions. In a later time window from 600 ms to 1100 ms, the insight trials elicited a more positive ERP deflection (P600-1100) than the non-insight trials, mostly in central regions. The results indicate that the early N300-500 effect may reflect cognitive conflict resulting from the breaking of mental set and the later P600-1100 effect may be related to the formation of novel associations, both crucial to the occurrence of insight.

Highlights

Gestalt psychologists coined the term “insight” to refer to the observation that the process of problem solving was not trial-and-error but sudden understanding of the gestalt combination of the problem elements
The focus was on the insight condition involving only comprehension, the conflict from switching from an old thought to a new thought shall by nature be related to the breaking of mental set
Breaking mental set was regarded as one key cognitive process of insight (Qiu, et al, 2010; Zhao, et al, 2011)

Summary

Introduction

Gestalt psychologists coined the term “insight” to refer to the observation that the process of problem solving was not trial-and-error but sudden understanding of the gestalt combination of the problem elements. Luo et al (Luo, 2004) for the first time studied insight with fMRI and observed activation in a number of regions during insight problem solving, including frontal cortex, temporal cortex, anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and hippocampus. They suggested that the breaking of a mental set, crucial to the occurrence of insight, depends on ACC and left lateral prefrontal cortex, and that hippocampus plays important role in the forming of novel associations (Luo & Niki, 2003; Luo, Niki, & Phillips, 2004). Research with ERPs has been conducted to reveal the electrophysiological substrates of insight (Qiu, et al, 2008; Wang, et al, 2009)

Methods

Results

Conclusion