Abstract

This study aims to investigate the hypothesis that “thinking in opposites” might facilitate insight problem solving. For example, if the image relating to a problem is oriented horizontally, it may be that making it vertical makes it easier to see the solution. We focus on visuo-spatial insight problem solving and study four conditions (training vs. hint, overt vs. covert identification of opposites) which differ in terms of the participants’ awareness of how considering the opposites relating to a problem might lead to possible representational transformations which would help them in their search for the solution. The training condition was associated with a greater proportion of correctly solved problems. Participants who found the solution after training also made fewer attempts and did it in a shorter time. Furthermore, they referred more frequently to the instructions they had received to use opposites and made more use of the opposites they had listed in their initial exploration (overt listing condition). Overall the results show that suggesting to the participants that they “think in opposites” worked better when it was proposed as an explicit, systematic strategy.

摘要

本研究旨在调查“相反思考”可能有助于洞察问题的解决方案的假设。例如，如果与问题相关的图像是水平放置的，则可能是使其垂直放置可以更容易地查看解决方案。我们专注于视觉空间洞察力问题的解决，研究了四个条件（训练与暗示，公开与隐性识别对立），这些条件在参与者关于如何考虑与问题有关的对立可能导致代表性方面的认识方面有所不同有助于他们寻找解决方案的转换。训练条件与正确解决问题的比例更大有关。在培训后找到解决方案的参与者也进行了较少的尝试，并且在较短的时间内完成了该解决方案。此外，他们更频繁地参考收到的使用对立的指示，并更多地利用了他们在最初的探索中列出的对立（公开列出的条件）。总体而言，结果表明，当参与者被建议作为一种明确的系统策略时，向参与者暗示他们“对立思考”的效果更好。