The Expansion of the Model of Mechanisms of Insight Problem Solving in the S. Ohlsson’s Representational Change Theory

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Abstract

The paper explores an option to expand the model of mechanisms of insight problem solving proposed by S. Ohlsson. The proposed mechanisms of insight problem solving — chunk decomposition and constraint relaxation — considered within the framework of high-level and low-level processes. Chunk decomposition described as low-level mechanism and constraint relaxation as high-level mechanism. We assume that difficulty of the different insight problems can be explained by high level chunk decomposition and low-level constraint relaxation. The paper describes two experiments dedicated to verify the assumption. The first experiment examines process of solving anagrams (with word) as high-level chunk decomposition. The main results of the experiment show the prospect of distinguishing the semantic chunk decomposition as insight problem solving mechanism. The second experiment use nine-dot insight problem to examine its solution process as relaxation of low-level (perceptual) constraints. Based on the results of the experiments, it can be considered possible to conclude that the expansion of S. Ohlsson’s model of mechanisms of insight problem solving allows to deem the solutions of various problems in a unified system.

General Information

Keywords: insight, insight problem, semantic chunk, chunk decomposition, constraint relaxation, ana- grams, nine-dot problem

Journal rubric: Cognitive Psychology

Article type: scientific article

DOI: https://doi.org/10.17759/exppsy.2021140210

Funding. The reported study was funded by Russian Foundation for Basic Research (RFBR), project number 18-313-00123.

For citation: Chistopolskaya A.V., Lazareva N.Yu., Markina P.N., Makarov I.N. The Expansion of the Model of Mechanisms of Insight Problem Solving in the S. Ohlsson’s Representational Change Theory. Eksperimental'naâ psihologiâ = Experimental Psychology (Russia), 2021. Vol. 14, no. 2, pp. 141–155. DOI: 10.17759/exppsy.2021140210. (In Russ., аbstr. in Engl.)

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Information About the Authors

Aleksandra V. Chistopolskaya, PhD in Psychology, Associate Professor, Department of General Psychology, P.G. Demidov Yaroslavl State University, Yaroslavl, Russia, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6156-4876, e-mail: chistosasha@mail.ru

Natalia Y. Lazareva, Assistant of the Department of General Psychology, Researcher of Laboratory for Cognitive Research, Junior Researcher, P.G. Demidov Yaroslavl State University, Yaroslavl, Russia, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3807-8773, e-mail: lazareva_natasha93@mail.ru

Polina N. Markina, Junior Researcher, Institute of Psychology of RAS, Researcher, P.G. Demidov Yaroslavl State University, Moscow, Russia, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8545-1668, e-mail: alxetar@gmail.com

Igor N. Makarov, Researcher, P.G. Demidov Yaroslavl State University, Yaroslavl, Russia, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9562-091X, e-mail: reoge@mail.ru

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