Unusual uses and experiences are good for feeling insightful, but not for problem solving: contributions of schizotypy, divergent thinking, and fluid reasoning, to insight moments

ABSTRACT

The current paper investigates the individual differences underlying the ability to solve classic and contemporary insight problems along the subjective phenomenology of insight in the solution of these problems. We investigate fluid reasoning, divergent thinking and schizotypy. Experiments 1–3 (total N = 434) investigated the association between schizotypy, divergent thinking, reasoning abilities, and participants’ tendencies to report feelings associated with insight (e.g. aha experience) in the solution of classic insight, classic non-insight problems, and compound remote associates. We found that both positive schizotypy (particularly the subscale Unusual Experiences) and originality (uncommon responses in a creativity task) were positive predictors of aha experiences, though not of problem solving. These results highlight important individual differences in the tendency to perceive meaning in problem solving and the implications for our metacognitive judgments of truth in our problem-solving processes.

KEYWORDS:

• Insight problem solving
• divergent thinking
• fluid reasoning
• individual differences
• aha experience

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Correction Statement

This article has been republished with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Notes

1 In the current study, we are using the O-LIFE (Oxford-Liverpool Inventory of Feelings and Experiences; Mason & Claridge, 2006), which is a reliable and valid measure of schizotypy, measured along four dimensions: Unusual Experiences, Social Anhedonia, Cognitive Disorganization, and Impulsive Non-Conformity (Mason & Claridge, 2006). In the O-LIFE, positive schizotypy can be assessed through the Unusual Experiences and Cognitive Disorganisation sub-scales, as both of these sub-scales draw on the positive components of schizophrenia (with Unusual Experiences drawing on the hallucinatory components, and Cognitive Disorganisation drawing on aspects of poor attention and concentration as well as poor decision-making). In the current paper, we weight Unusual Experiences as the most consistent with other measures of positive schizotypy such as the SPQ (Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire; Raine, 1991) and the phenomenological positive symptoms of psychosis, and so focus on that in our explanations, though use all subscales in our analyses.

2 This was also true for the comparison within problems: Classic insight problems (Aha Model 1 AIC = 9564.651, Aha Model 2 AIC = 9880.998); Non-insight problems (Aha Model 1 AIC = 8650.340, Aha Model 2 AIC = 8389.046); CRA's (Aha Model 1 AIC = 41714.223, Aha Model 2 AIC = 38074.389).