TY - JOUR TI -

Executive Function Role on a Stage of Impasse in Insight Problem Solving

T2 - Psychology. Journal of Higher School of Economics IS - Psychology. Journal of Higher School of Economics KW - insight KW - insight problem solving KW - impasse KW - Central Executive AB - The paper is focused on the role of a central executive in insight and non-insight problem solving. The central Executive (CE) is responsible for planning for problem solving, and comparing the current situation with a desired one. It is assumed that the Central Executive is harmful at the stage of an impasse in insight problem solving. The CE fixates the solver on a wrong representation. Contrariwise, the CE is important in non-insight problem solving throughout the solution time. We used the distraction method, which involves the presentation of an additional task during whilst solving the main problem. Due to that we deplete the Central Executive by overloading. We suppose the Central Executive can’t perform well doing two problems at the same time, consequently, we provided our participants with the second task, which they solved simultaneously with the main problem. The results of the experiment made it possible to confirm the assumption of a changing role of the CE during insight problem solving: the depletion of the CE is important only at the impasse stage to give the solver an opportunity to take into account the elements of the problem that are irrelevant to the primary representation. Out of the impasse control isneeded to solve problems: prior to reaching the impasse, the Central Executive is needed to complete search for all obvious solutions; after breaking out of the impasse the CE is responsible for the choice of the best answer from a new list. It is concluded that at the stage of the impasse control hinders solving insight problems. AU - Polina N. Markina Polina N. Markina AU - Ilya Vladimirov UR - https://psy-journal.hse.ru/en/2019-16-3/310906960.html PY - 2019 SP - 562-570 VL - 16