Effects of working memory capacity on mental set due to domain knowledge

Ricks, Travis R.; Turley-Ames, Kandi Jo; Wiley, Jennifer

doi:10.3758/bf03193615

Cited by 75 publications

(57 citation statements)

References 20 publications

(49 reference statements)

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“…2 (Spring 2012) be aided by attentional control under some circumstances. Several studies have shown that RAT problem solving ability is generally correlated with WMC (Kane, 2004;Ricks, Turley-Ames & Wiley, 2007), although this could be for many reasons including individual differences in verbal aptitude that also are generally correlated with WMC. Yet, effective inhibitory function may be especially important when a solver needs to deal with fixation induced by the presence of incorrect associates within the context of problem solving (Smith & Blankenship, 1991;Storm & Angello, 2011).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Firing the Executive: When an Analytic Approach to Problem Solving Helps and Hurts

Aiello¹,

Jarosz²,

Cushen³

et al. 2012

The Journal of Problem Solving

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Abstract:There is a general assumption that a more controlled or more focused attentional state is beneficial for most cognitive tasks. However, there has been a growing realization that creative problem solving tasks, such as the Remote Associates Task (RAT), may benefit from a less controlled solution approach. To test this hypothesis, in a 2x2 design, we manipulated whether solvers were given the RAT before or after an implicit learning task. We also varied whether they were told to "use their gut" as part of either initial task. The results suggest that a less analytic approach engendered by a "use your gut" instruction benefits performance on the RAT for monolingual solvers. The same benefit was not found for bilingual speakers suggesting that more controlled solution processes may be needed when speakers with multiple lexicons perform this task, which relies heavily on accessing common phrases in a particular language.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Firing the Executive: When an Analytic Approach to Problem Solving Helps and Hurts

Aiello¹,

Jarosz²,

Cushen³

et al. 2012

The Journal of Problem Solving

Self Cite

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“…The finding of a positive correlation between working memory capacity and RAT performance attention (Ricks, Turley-Ames, & Wiley, 2007) is consistent with this possibility, since it may reflect a common contribution from the executive control of attention (Ricks, et al, 2007), which involves effortful processing, for instance, in order to resolve conflict (Fernandez-Duque, Baird, & Posner, 2000). The role of control of attention is also highlighted by the finding that high working memory capacity no longer benefits RAT performance when RAT problems are specifically constructed to activate and focus attention on strong misleading cues in memory based on a person's prior domain-specific knowledge (Ricks, et al, 2007).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Remote Associates Test and Alpha Brain Waves

Haarmann¹,

George²,

Smaliy³

et al. 2012

The Journal of Problem Solving

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Abstract:Previous studies found that performance on the remote associates test (RAT) improves after a period of incubation and that increased alpha brain waves over the right posterior brain predict the emergence of RAT insight solutions. We report an experiment that tested whether increased alpha brain waves during incubation improve RAT performance. Participants received two blocks of RAT items (RAT1 and RAT2), with the second block consisting of items that were not solved during the first block. Participants were randomly assigned to three groups, which were matched for their number of RAT1 solutions. Participants in an alpha-up neurofeedback group aimed to increase their alpha brain waves over the right posterior brain in between the two blocks, whereas participants in an alpha-down neurofeedback group aimed to decrease these same brain waves. A third group of participants did not perform neurofeedback and proceeded immediately from the first to the second block of RAT items. We found evidence for more RAT2 solutions in participants who interrupted their RAT performance with neurofeedback, especially in ones who showed high alpha brain waves during neurofeedback. These results are consistent with the notion that an alert but relaxed mental state, indexed by alpha brain waves, may aid the read out of an implicitly activated memory network of weak associates.

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“…Similarly, the possession of domain knowledge generally improves problem solving performance (e.g. Chase & Simon, 1973;Chi, Feltovich, & Glaser, 1981;Gobet & Charness, 2006;Voss, Greene, Post, & Penner, 1983; but see Ricks, Turley-Ames, & Wiley, 2007;Wiley, 1998, for instances in which domain knowledge can have negative effects on problem solving). In a review of the literature on superior cognitive performance due to expertise, Ericsson and Kintsch (1995) concluded that domain knowledge has important effects on the working memory system in the context of domain-related cognitive tasks.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 97%