Abstract

Einstellung (mental set) effects designate the phenomenon where established routines can prevent people from finding other, possibly more efficient solutions. Here we investigate the mechanism behind this phenomenon by using Luchins’ classical water jug paradigm with concurrent verbalization. We find no difference in the extent of the Einstellung effect between the group which was instructed to think aloud during the problem solving and the group which was thinking silently. The think-aloud protocols indicate that the participants who exhibited the Einstellung effect repeatedly attempted to solve the water jug problem by using variations of the previously successful method which had been rendered inappropriate in the final problem. Our study underlines the usefulness of the think-aloud technique in tracking the cognitive processes. More importantly, it demonstrates how, once thought has been activated, it may bias subsequent dealings with new situations, even in the face of repeated failure that people experience in the Einstellung situations.

摘要

Einstellung（心理集合）效应表示一种现象，在这种现象下，既定的例程会阻止人们找到其他可能更有效的解决方案。在这里，我们通过使用Luchins的经典水壶范例并发言语研究这种现象背后的机理。我们发现，在解决问题的过程中被指示要大声思考的小组与默默思考的小组之间，在Einstellung效应的程度上没有差异。智囊协议表明，表现出爱因斯泰伦效应的参与者反复尝试使用先前成功的方法的变体来解决水壶问题，而这些变体在最终问题中变得不合适。我们的研究强调了思考技术在跟踪认知过程中的作用。