Verbal Problem Solving Research Articles

Verbal problem-solving in agenesis of the corpus callosum: Analysis using semantic similarity.

Previous studies demonstrated that individuals with agenesis of the corpus callosum (AgCC) experience difficulties in novel and complex problem-solving. The present study investigated verbal problem-solving, deductive reasoning, and semantic inference in AgCC. Capacity for semantic inference was tested in 25 individuals with AgCC and normal-range intelligence compared to 29 neurotypical controls. The Word Context Test (WCT) of Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System was used, employing a novel method of analysis (semantic similarity) to detect trial-by-trial progress toward a solution. With respect to the typical WCT scores, persons with AgCC had fewer total consecutive correct responses. In addition, semantic similarity to the correct word was significantly lower overall in persons with AgCC than in controls. These findings indicated that individuals with AgCC who have intelligence in the normal range are less able at the WCT taking all trials into account, although they often solve the problem eventually. This outcome is consistent with previous research indicating that callosal absence in AgCC results in a restricted imagination for possibilities, limiting their problem-solving and inferential capacities. The results also highlight the usefulness of semantic similarity as a means of scoring the WCT. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Human-like problem-solving abilities in large language models using ChatGPT.

The field of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has seen a major shift in recent years due to the development of new Machine Learning (ML) models such as Generative Pre-trained Transformer (GPT). GPT has achieved previously unheard-of levels of accuracy in most computerized language processing tasks and their chat-based variations. The aim of this study was to investigate the problem-solving abilities of ChatGPT using two sets of verbal insight problems, with a known performance level established by a sample of human participants. A total of 30 problems labeled as "practice problems" and "transfer problems" were administered to ChatGPT. ChatGPT's answers received a score of "0" for each incorrectly answered problem and a score of "1" for each correct response. The highest possible score for both the practice and transfer problems was 15 out of 15. The solution rate for each problem (based on a sample of 20 subjects) was used to assess and compare the performance of ChatGPT with that of human subjects. The study highlighted that ChatGPT can be trained in out-of-the-box thinking and demonstrated potential in solving verbal insight problems. The global performance of ChatGPT equalled the most probable outcome for the human sample in both practice problems and transfer problems as well as upon their combination. Additionally, ChatGPT answer combinations were among the 5% of most probable outcomes for the human sample both when considering practice problems and pooled problem sets. These findings demonstrate that ChatGPT performance on both set of problems was in line with the mean rate of success of human subjects, indicating that it performed reasonably well. The use of transformer architecture and self-attention in ChatGPT may have helped to prioritize inputs while predicting, contributing to its potential in verbal insight problem-solving. ChatGPT has shown potential in solving insight problems, thus highlighting the importance of incorporating AI into psychological research. However, it is acknowledged that there are still open challenges. Indeed, further research is required to fully understand AI's capabilities and limitations in verbal problem-solving.

Problem Solving by Agricultural Extension Students with Various Levels of Creativity through a Neurocognitive Lens

The cultivation of agricultural extension talent is key to sustainable agricultural development because it can help create unique economic relationships, add new knowledge and skills to traditional agriculture, identify marketing advantages in emerging markets, and promote the transition to a sustainable society. This study identified the activated brain regions and thought patterns of agricultural extension students when they performed numerical, spatial, and verbal intelligence tasks. The cerebral activity of the student participants was captured through electroencephalography to analyze their activated brain regions and thought patterns during the problemidentification and resolution-reaching phases. A total of 36 participants were recruited and divided into high-creativity (HC) and low-creativity groups to analyze differences in their thought patterns. The results indicated that numeric problem solving activated the frontoparietal network and was associated with a high level of self-generated thought. The function of evaluating creativity was inhibited in the HC group, and the participants engaged in divergent semantic processing during the numeric task. Spatial problem solving activated the frontal regions and was associated with intensive visual search tasks. The HC group exhibited suppressed creativity evaluation and analogical reasoning. Verbal problem solving activated the frontoparietal regions and was associated with verbal memory, semantic-based word processing, and self-generated thought. Creative associations in the verbal task were enhanced in the HC group. This study adopted innovative approaches to address a complex topic that has not been thoroughly investigated but is essential for the theoretical development of both neurocognitive science and agricultural sustainability.

Cognición numérica temprana en niños sordos y oyentes: ¿más cercana de lo esperado?

Deaf students show a significant delay in their understanding of numeracy and measurement concepts as well as verbal problem solving. There is still no consensus about the origin of this delay but several studies have shown that deaf people show differences in basic numerical skills and executive function (EF), which could underlie the differences in the way they learn and develop their cognitive abilities. Children have the innate ability to estimate and compare numerosities without using language or numerical symbols. The ability to discriminate large numerosities depends on the approximate number system (ANS), a cognitive system believed to be governed by a neural circuit within the intraparietal sulcus. Researchers hypothesize that the ANS underlies the development of arithmetic and there is data supporting the contribution of the ANS for math achievements. Little is known about the approximate number system of deaf children at early ages. Deaf and hearing preschool children were compared in terms of specific cognitive functions shown to be important for success in mathematics. Executive functions and symbolic and nonsymbolic magnitude comparison abilities of 7 deaf children and 14 hearing children aged 4–7 years (M = 69.90 months, SD = 11.42), were compared. To do so, neuropsychological assessments for school-aged children were adapted into Portuguese Sign Language. Significant group differences were found in abstract counting as well as in symbolic and nonsymbolic magnitude comparisons. These findings suggest that deaf children are less competent in these early numeracy skills than are their hearing peers. https://doi.org/10.16888/interd.2022.39.2.8

The Profile of Task Performances for Cognitive-communicative Intervention in the Oldest-Old

Purpose: The “oldest-old” is the heterogeneous population compared with the younger-old in several cognitive-communication aspects. Accordingly, it is necessary to intervene in them discriminately. This study aimed to suggest the performance profiles by cognitive-communication tasks for intervention in oldest-old.Methods: Sixty-four oldest-old subjects aged 80 or older years performed 16 subtasks for the five cognitive-communication domains. And the performance profiles of group I (84.00 ± 2.62 years) and II (93.38 ± 1.61 years) were analyzed.Results: The main findings were as follows. Firstly, two groups had significant differences in performances of most tasks including working memory, reasoning, word fluency, and subjective communication. Secondly, five communication tasks were significantly correlated with all cognitive tasks and were predicted by the reasoning tasks like similarity in group I. Thirdly, word fluency and pragmatic expression tasks were significantly correlated with all cognitive tasks. Tasks including verbal problem solving were found to be the best predictors of confrontation naming in group II.Conclusion: Current study provides evidence-based information to support cognitive-communication intervention for the oldest-old. These results also can contribute to increase the efficacy of the cognitive-communicative intervention.

Effects of stress on functional connectivity during problem solving

AimOur purpose was to examine how stress affects functional connectivity (FC) in language processing regions of the brain during a verbal problem solving task associated with creativity. We additionally explored how gender and the presence of the stress-susceptible short allele of the serotonin transporter gene polymorphism influenced this effect. MethodsForty-five healthy participants (Mean age: 19.6 ​± ​1.6 years; 28 females) were recruited to be a part of this study and genotyped to determine the presence or absence of at least one copy of the short (S) allele of the serotonin transporter gene, which is associated with greater susceptibility to stress. The participants underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging in two separate sessions (stress and no stress control). One session utilized a modified version of the Montreal Imaging Stress Test (MIST) to induce stress while the other session consisted of a no stress control task. The MIST and control tasks were interleaved with task blocks during which the participants performed the compound remote associates task, a convergent task that engages divergent thinking, which is a critical component of creativity. We examined the relationship between stress effects on performance and effects on connectivity of language processing regions activated during this task. ResultsThere was no main effect of stress on functional connectivity for individual ROI pairs. However, in the examination of whether stress effects on performance related to effects on connectivity, changes in middle temporal gyrus connectivity with stress correlated positively with changes in solution latency for individuals with the S allele, but anti-correlated for those with only the L allele. A trend towards a gene ​× ​stress interaction on solution latency was also observed. DiscussionResults from the study suggest that genetic susceptibility to stress, such as the presence of the S allele, affects neural correlates of performance on tasks related to verbal problem solving, as indicated by connectivity of the middle temporal gyrus. Future work will need to determine whether connectivity of the middle temporal gyrus serves as a marker for the effect of stress susceptibility on cognition, extending into stress susceptible patient populations.

Evaluating Part V of the German version of the Token Test as a screening of specific language impairment in preschoolers

AbstractSpecific language impairment (SLI) is a very common childhood disorder that is characterized by impairments in expressive and/or receptive language regarding different modalities. Part V of the German version of the Token Test was evaluated as a potential screening tool for the early detection of SLI. Forty-five male and 16 female monolingual native German-speaking preschoolers with SLI (4–6 years) and 61 age- and gender-matched typically developing controls were examined with a German version of the Token Test and an established intelligence measure. Token Test performance was significantly worse in preschoolers with SLI including greater group differences at age 4 than at ages 5 and 6. Analyses showed a detection rate of 77% for Part V of the Token Test in the whole sample as well as 85.1% at age 4, 80.6% at age 5, and a nonsignificant detection at age 6. Correctly detected preschoolers with SLI showed significantly worse performance than typically developing controls regarding nonverbal and verbal intelligence, numeracy, problem solving, working memory, visual attention, and memory. Children with SLI show worse Token Test performance, whereas at ages 4 and 5, Part V of the Token Test could potentially serve as a screening tool for the detection of SLI.

Influence of Serotonin Transporter SLC6A4 Genotype on the Effect of Psychosocial Stress on Cognitive Performance: An Exploratory Pilot Study.

Previous research has shown an effect of various psychosocial stressors on unconstrained cognitive flexibility, such as searching through a large set of potential solutions in the lexical-semantic network during verbal problem-solving. Functional magnetic resonance imaging has shown that the presence of the short (S) allele (lacking a 43-base pair repeat) of the promoter region of the gene (SLC6A4) encoding the serotonin transporter (5-HTT) protein is associated with a greater amygdalar response to emotional stimuli and a greater response to stressors. Therefore, we hypothesized that the presence of the S-allele is associated with greater stress-associated impairment in performance on an unconstrained cognitive flexibility task, anagrams. In this exploratory pilot study, 28 healthy young adults were genotyped for long (L)-allele versus S-allele promoter region polymorphism of the 5-HTT gene, SLC6A4. Participants solved anagrams during the Trier Social Stress Test, which included public speaking and mental arithmetic stressors. We compared the participants' cognitive response to stress across genotypes. A Gene×Stress interaction effect was observed in this small sample. Comparisons revealed that participants with at least one S-allele performed worse during the Stress condition. Genetic susceptibility to stress conferred by SLC6A4 appeared to modulate unconstrained cognitive flexibility during psychosocial stress in this exploratory sample. If confirmed, this finding may have implications for conditions associated with increased stress response, including performance anxiety and cocaine withdrawal. Future work is needed both to confirm our findings with a larger sample and to explore the mechanisms of this proposed effect.

Propranolol for treating emotional, behavioural, autonomic dysregulation in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorders.

To date, there is no single medication prescribed to alleviate all the core symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD; National Institute of Health and Care Excellence, 2016). Both serotonin reuptake inhibitors and drugs for psychosis possess therapeutic drawbacks when managing anxiety and aggression in ASD. This review sought to appraise the use of propranolol as a pharmacological alternative when managing emotional, behavioural and autonomic dysregulation (EBAD) and other symptoms. Sixteen reports examined the administration of propranolol in the context of ASD. Sixteen reports broadly covered cognitive domains, neural correlates, and behavioural domains. From the eight single-dose clinical trials, propranolol led to significant improvements in cognitive performance - verbal problem solving, social skills, mouth fixation, and conversation reciprocity; and changes in neural correlates - improvement in semantic networks and functional connectivity. The remaining eight case series and single case reports showed improvements in EBAD, anxiety, aggressive, self-injurious and hypersexual behaviours. Additionally, propranolol significantly improved similar behavioural domains (aggression and self-injury) for those with acquired brain injury. This review indicates that propranolol holds promise for EBAD and cognitive performance in ASD. Given the lack of good quality clinical trials, randomised controlled trials are warranted to explore the efficacy of propranolol in managing EBAD in ASD.

Problem Solving Levels Of Elementary School Students On Mathematical Word Problems And The Distribution of These Problems in Textbooks

This study aims to investigate primary school students’ addition and subtraction based mathematical verbal problem solving levels and to identify the types of questions asked to students in mathematics course books. A form with problem types was administered to 158 third year students. Also, 6 mathematics course books and students’ books were analysed through document analysis. The results showed students had difficulties in initial unknown addition and subtraction problems and compare problems. In addition, it was found out that result unknown addition and subtraction based verbal problems were mostly used in the mathematics course books and students’ books prepared by the Ministry of National Education. It was also observed that compare problems were very scarcely used.

Metacognition and Meta-Affect in Young Students: Does it Make a Difference in Mathematical Problem Solving?

Mathematical problem solving is one of the most valuable aspects of mathematics education and the most difficult for elementary school students. Cognitive and metacognitive difficulties in this area cause students to develop negative attitudes and emotions as affective reactions, hampering their efforts and achievements. These metacognitive and meta-affective reactions are fundamental aspects of self-regulated learning (SRL), a non-innate process that requires systematic, explicit student training. This study investigated the impact of two self-regulation programs among young students (Grade 5)—metacognition (n = 64) and meta-affect (n = 54) versus a control group (n =53)—on enhancing achievements in mathematical verbal problem solving and a novel transfer task, as well as metacognitive and meta-affective regulation processes of a focus group during a thinking-aloud solution. Mixed methods indicate that students who participated in the metacognitive and meta-affective intervention programs presented similar but higher achievements than the control group. Additionally, during the thinking-aloud solution, students from each group broadly implemented the self-regulation processes they were trained in, while consistently referring to all the self-regulation phases. The current study makes an important contribution to practical implications for students with diverse abilities.

The effect of executive function on verbal insight problem solving: Behavioral and ERPs studies

The effect of executive function on verbal insight problem solving: Behavioral and ERPs studies

Evaluation of the “Steps for Life” Personal and Social Skills Greek K-Curriculum

Background: The past few decades have seen a significant growth of research on socio-emotional skills development programs and on mental health education in schools since their key-importance has been well documented. This study presents the evaluation of “Steps for life”, an open, question-based, annual, teacher-taught, mental health Greek K-curriculum, designed to improve personal and social skills in young students aged 4 - 6. The curriculum uses classroom-appropriate methods such as dialoguing, story-telling, role-playing and diffusion in formal and hidden curriculum, while incorporating a considerable degree of parental involvement. Methods: The study was conducted in Greece during 2009-2010. The sample consisted of 998 kindergartners, with 518 of them forming the experimental group and 480 the control group. The questionnaire designed for the study consisted of items regarding demographics, of the Behavioural Academic Self-Esteem scale and of 8 more subscales, namely concentration of attention, participation and cooperation in the class, emotions’ identification and management, physical and verbal aggressiveness control, victimization control, self-esteem, empathy, friendship skills, and problem solving. Its 96-in total-items examined students’ behaviors as exhibited in the school environment and as observed and rated by their teachers. It was administered pre and post intervention to both groups’ educators. Results: The results suggest that both groups exhibited significant improvement in all investigated skills. As indicated by the regression analysis however, the intervention students showed significantly higher improvement in all targeted abilities except friendship skills. Conclusions: Our intervention improved more significantly almost all the taught skills, corroborating the findings of other researchers who found that similar approaches can improve children’s social and emotional skills. Therefore, it is important for schools and communities to identify and effectively implement evidence-based interventions.

Effects of acute beta-adrenergic antagonism on verbal problem solving in autism spectrum disorder and exploration of treatment response markers

ABSTRACTAutism spectrum disorder (ASD) is characterized by impairments in social communication as well as restricted, repetitive behaviors. Evidence suggests that some individuals with ASD have cognitive impairments related to weak central coherence and hyperrestricted processing. Reducing noradrenergic activity may improve aspects of network processing and thus improve cognitive abilities, such as verbal problem solving, in individuals with ASD. The present pilot study explores the effects of acute administration of the beta-adrenergic antagonist propranolol on verbal problem solving in adults and adolescents with ASD. In a within-subject crossover-design, 20 participants with ASD received a single dose of propranolol or placebo on one of two sessions in a double-blinded, counterbalanced manner. Verbal problem solving was assessed via an anagram task. Baseline measurements of autonomic nervous system functioning were obtained, and anxiety was assessed at baseline and following drug administration. Participants solved the anagrams more quickly in the propranolol condition, as compared to the placebo condition, suggesting a potential cognitive benefit of this agent. Additionally, we observed a negative linear relationship between response to propranolol on the anagram task and two measures of baseline autonomic activity, as well as a positive linear relationship between drug response and baseline anxiety. These relationships propose potential markers for treatment response, as propranolol influences both autonomic functioning and anxiety. Further investigation is needed to expand on the present single-dose psychopharmacological challenge and explore the observed effects of propranolol in a serial-dose setting.

Ortaokul Öğrencilerinde İşlemsel Akıcılık, Çarpım Tablosu ve Sözel Problemlerde Başarı

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between computational fluency and the performance in solving verbal problems that require mathematical reasoning. The sample of this study consists of 428 fifth and sixth graders selected from several schools located in 4 mid-Anatolian cities. The data were gathered through 4 different tools; 1) Tempo Test Rekenen (TTR) 2) Verbal Problems Test 3) Multiplication Table Test (2 minutes) 4) Multiplication Table Test (20 minutes). The data were analyzed using statistical methods and Tempo Test Rekenen’s predictive power ofverbal problem solving skills was found as R= .692, R²= .478. Results showed that; a) Students’ arithmetic calculation skills effectively predict students’ performances in solving verbal questions that require mathematical reasoning, b) Their success of multiplication table tests increase if they are provided enough time, c) There is no significant difference between students’ TTR scores and verbal problem solving scores according to gender and grade. The findings of this study were discussed along with the related literature.

Retention in the Canadian Forces: The Predictive Validity of Three Selection Measures

This study examined the predictive validity of the Canadian Forces Aptitude Test (CFAT), educational levels, and the Military Potential (MP) score in predicting retention in the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF). This set of selection measures is fundamental to CAF selection process. The CFAT is a cognitive test that assesses verbal skills, spatial ability, and problem solving ability. The MP score is derived from candidates' performance at a semi-structured interview and their application materials (biographical information, CFAT scores, and educational achievement). The criterion of retention in this research was basic training completion on first attempt. Analyses were performed on data from 14,381 recruits enrolled between fiscal years 04/05 and 08/09. A series of unadjusted logistic regressions were conducted to examine the effects of each measure individually. Then adjusted logistic regressions were conducted to examine the impact of each measure after controlling for the others and for demographic variables (gender and age). All analyses were conducted separately for officers and Non-Commissioned Member (NCM) recruits. Overall, for officer recruits, results from unadjusted logistic regression indicated that high CFAT scores were positively associated with completion of basic training but higher education levels were negatively associated with completion of basic training. However, these relationships did not hold in adjusted logistic regression where only gender and age emerged as significant. For NCM recruits, results of unadjusted logistic regression showed that CFAT scores, and having a high school diploma or higher degree was positively associated with basic training completion and these relationships remained significant in adjusted logistic regression. A positive relation was also found between MP score and basic training completion for NCM recruits, but these relationships were no longer significant in adjusted logistic regression. More studies are needed to fully understand the relative role of all CAF selection measures to the prediction of other retention and performance-related criteria.

Visual Attention Modulates Insight Versus Analytic Solving of Verbal Problems.

Behavioral and neuroimaging findings indicate that distinct cognitive and neural processes underlie solving problems with sudden insight. Moreover, people with less focused attention sometimes perform better on tests of insight and creative problem solving. However, it remains unclear whether different states of attention, within individuals, influence the likelihood of solving problems with insight or with analysis. In this experiment, participants (N = 40) performed a baseline block of verbal problems, then performed one of two visual tasks, each emphasizing a distinct aspect of visual attention, followed by a second block of verbal problems to assess change in performance. After participants engaged in a center-focused flanker task requiring relatively focused visual attention, they reported solving more verbal problems with analytic processing. In contrast, after participants engaged in a rapid object identification task requiring attention to broad space and weak associations, they reported solving more verbal problems with insight. These results suggest that general attention mechanisms influence both visual attention task performance and verbal problem solving.

Math Anxiety in Second and Third Graders and Its Relation to Mathematics Achievement

Although the detrimental effects of math anxiety in adults are well understood, few studies have examined how it affects younger children who are beginning to learn math in a formal academic setting. Here, we examine the relationship between math anxiety and math achievement in second and third graders. In response to the need for a grade-appropriate measure of assessing math anxiety in this group we first describe the development of Scale for Early Mathematics Anxiety (SEMA), a new measure for assessing math anxiety in second and third graders that is based on the Math Anxiety Rating Scale. We demonstrate the construct validity and reliability of the SEMA and use it to characterize the effect of math anxiety on standardized measures of math abilities, as assessed using the Mathematical Reasoning and Numerical Operations subtests of the Wechsler Individual Achievement Test (WIAT-II). Math achievement, as measured by the WIAT-II Math Composite score, was significantly and negatively correlated with SEMA but not with trait anxiety scores. Additional analyses showed that SEMA scores were strongly correlated with Mathematical Reasoning scores, which involves more complex verbal problem solving. SEMA scores were weakly correlated with Numerical Operations which assesses basic computation skills, suggesting that math anxiety has a pronounced effect on more demanding calculations. We also found that math anxiety has an equally detrimental impact on math achievement regardless of whether children have an anxiety related to numbers or to the situational and social experience of doing math. Critically, these effects were unrelated to trait anxiety, providing the first evidence that the specific effects of math anxiety can be detected in the earliest stages of formal math learning in school. Our findings provide new insights into the developmental origins of math anxiety, and further underscore the need to remediate math anxiety and its deleterious effects on math achievement in young children.

Verbal problem‐solving in autism spectrum disorders: A problem of plan construction?

Children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) adopt less efficient strategies than typically developing controls (TD) on verbal problem-solving tests such as the Twenty Questions Task. This study examined the hypotheses that this can be explained by differences in (i) planning processes or (ii) selective attention. Twenty-two children with ASD and 21 TD controls matched for age (M(age) = 13:7) and cognitive ability (M(FSIQ) = 96.42) were tested on an adapted version of Twenty Questions and two planning tasks. ASD participants could recognize effective questions as well as TD participants on a forced-choice question discrimination task, but were observed to construct plans that were significantly less efficient. ASD performance was also specifically reduced when items could not be physically removed from the testing array, although this effect could be ameliorated by keeping a written record of participant questions during search. These findings indicate that ASD participants are sensitive to the within-task executive demands of Twenty Questions, but that their inefficiency in strategy relates to planning processes and question selection pretask. The implications for understanding ASD problem-solving skills and their impact on everyday functioning are discussed.

An Interview with Emily Rubin

An Interview with Emily Rubin