Cognitive inflexibility and the development and use of strategies for solving complex dynamic problems: effects of different types of training

Cañas, José J.; Antolí, Adoración; Fajardo, Inmaculada; Salmerón, Ladislao

doi:10.1080/14639220512331311599

Cited by 36 publications

(30 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…In the neuropsychological literature, cognitive flexibility has been defined as the ability to change behaviour such as thoughts or actions in response to situational demands (Cañas, Antoli, Fajardo, & Salmerón, 2005;Lezak, 2004). It is a component of executive functioning, the group of higher order cognitive abilities that include planning, problem solving, goal development and achievement (Anderson, 2002;Burgess & Alderman, 2004; Dubois, , Litvan, & Pillon, 2000;Strauss, Sherman, & Spreen, 2006).…”

Section: Mental Processes Involved In Cognitive Flexibilitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Cognitive and psychological flexibility after a traumatic brain injury and the implications for treatment in acceptance-based therapies: A conceptual review

Whiting

Deane

Simpson

et al. 2015

Neuropsychological Rehabilitation

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This paper provides a selective review of cognitive and psychological flexibility in the context of treatment for psychological distress after traumatic brain injury, with a focus on acceptance-based therapies. Cognitive flexibility is a component of executive function that is referred to mostly in the context of neuropsychological research and practice. Psychological flexibility, from a clinical psychology perspective, is linked to health and well-being and is an identified treatment outcome for therapies such as acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). There are a number of overlaps between the constructs. They both manifest in the ability to change behaviour (either a thought or an action) in response to environmental change, with similarities in neural substrate and mental processes. Impairments in both show a strong association with psychopathology. People with a traumatic brain injury (TBI) often suffer impairments in their cognitive flexibility as a result of damage to areas controlling executive processes but have a positive response to therapies that promote psychological flexibility. Overall, psychological flexibility appears a more overarching construct and cognitive flexibility may be a subcomponent of it but not necessarily a pre-requisite. Further research into therapies which claim to improve psychological flexibility, such as ACT, needs to be undertaken in TBI populations in order to clarify its utility in this group.

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Section: Mental Processes Involved In Cognitive Flexibilitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Cognitive and psychological flexibility after a traumatic brain injury and the implications for treatment in acceptance-based therapies: A conceptual review

Whiting

Deane

Simpson

et al. 2015

Neuropsychological Rehabilitation

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show abstract

“…When approaching a new problem, it is thought that problem solvers with higher levels of cognitive flexibility will outperform those who are less flexible because the former tend to consider alternative ways to solve the problem (Stewin & Anderson, 1974) rather than rigidly adhering to well-used methods. In their study of cognitive flexibility, Cañas et al (2005) found that participants became predisposed to behave either more or less flexibly based on the nature of previous training on the task. Those trained repeatedly on the same problem scenario developed a preference for how they solved the task, becoming faster and more fluid in their actions over time.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In contrast, those trained on a series of varying problem solving scenarios demonstrated an ability to adapt their problem solving behavior flexibly to the challenges presented by the new test scenario. The work presented here describes an ACT-R model for the Cañas et al (2005) problem solving task that demonstrates varying degrees of cognitive flexibility depending on the training regime it undergoes. Analysis of the model provides an explanation of cognitive inflexibility based on reward mechanisms.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…As skill in a task improves and becomes more automatic so cognitive inflexibility may increase, particularly in tasks with a high level of consistency (Ackerman, 1988). For example, in a fire-fighting task, Cañas et al (2005) found evidence of cognitive inflexibility in participants trained repeatedly on the same problem scenario who, having found an effective strategy, failed to relinquish it despite situational changes that reduced its effectiveness. This contrasted with participants trained on a variety of different problem scenarios.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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mentioning

confidence: 99%

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An account of cognitive flexibility and inflexibility for a complex dynamic task

Orendain¹,

Wood²

2012

PsycEXTRA Dataset

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Problem solving involves adapting known problem solving methods and strategies to the task at hand (Schunn & Reder, 2001) and cognitive flexibility is considered to be "the human ability to adapt the cognitive processing strategies to face new and unexpected conditions of the environment" (Cañas et al., 2005, p. 95). This work presents an ACT-R 6.0 model of complex problem solving behavior for the dynamic microworld game FireChief (Omodei & Wearing, 1995) that models the performance of participants predisposed to behave either more or less flexibly based on the nature of previous training on the task (Cañas et al., 2005). The model exhibits a greater or lesser degree of cognitive inflexibility in problem solving strategy choice reflecting variations in task training. The model provides an explanation of dynamic task performance compatible with the Competing Strategies paradigm (Taatgen et al., 2006) by creating a second layer of strategy competition that renders it more flexible with respect to strategy learning, and provides an explanation of cognitive inflexibility based on reward mechanisms.

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How can employees adapt to change? Clarifying the adaptive performance concepts

Park

2020

Human Resource Dev Quarterly

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Global and technological environments have rapidly become dynamic, ambiguous, and complex. Thus, it is critical for organizations to develop employees who are capable of working effectively within the context of these changes. As such, scholars and practitioners have discussed the importance of employees' attributes to help them adapt to change. However, the literature has used several terms to discuss these attributes. The purpose of this study is to investigate, compare, and clarify six concepts (adaptive performance, proactivity, resilience, role flexibility, learning agility, and workforce agility) related to employees' ability to adapt to new and changing situations in organizations. Based on our analytic framework with three categories, awareness, process, and direction/outcome, we found that all six concepts have a change orientation. The different emphases of the six concepts are elaborated, followed by discussion, implications, and recommendations.

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Cognitive inflexibility and the development and use of strategies for solving complex dynamic problems: effects of different types of training

Cited by 36 publications

References 7 publications

Cognitive and psychological flexibility after a traumatic brain injury and the implications for treatment in acceptance-based therapies: A conceptual review

Cognitive and psychological flexibility after a traumatic brain injury and the implications for treatment in acceptance-based therapies: A conceptual review

An account of cognitive flexibility and inflexibility for a complex dynamic task

How can employees adapt to change? Clarifying the adaptive performance concepts

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