Mood, Attention, and the Aha! Moment

Although research has generally shown that positive affect broadens attentional scope and enhances creativity, recent evidence suggests that the mood-attention relationship depends on the present dominant attentional focus. The current research seeks to extend these findings to the ability to solve insight problems. Undergraduates were primed to focus globally or locally and induced with a mood before completing insight problems. Contrary to past research, participants primed with a local, as opposed to global, focus of attention solved significantly more insight problems. There was no significant mood-attention interaction on insight problem-solving ability. This suggests that convergent thinking may play as substantial a role as divergent thinking in insight problem solving. Moreover, at least in the realm of insight, mood does not act as a signal that determines if a dominant attentional focus is acted upon or not

Stairway to Heaven (View 4)

This sculpture was created as part of the Linfield College course Introduction to Studio, taught by Totem Shriver. In honor of Linfield professor and artist Nils Lou, who passed away in December 2013, this year\u27s sculptures respond to the prompt of a dream house for Nils. Artist\u27s Statement The original idea for our dream house for Nils was to create a womb, a symbol of safety, warmth and fertility. We expanded on that idea and created the female figure from the bottom of the torso to the neck. Not only is the female figure symbolic of the fertility of ideas we hope Nils will have in the afterlife, it also reflects Nils\u27s passions and the inspiration for some of his artwork, which included ceramic torsos. To make the sculpture look more like a home, we added windows, a door and several pieces of furniture. The midsection of the figure is Nils\u27s workshop, complete with workbench and a vase-in-progress. At the center of the chest is a brightly colored anatomical heart that represents the love Nils poured into his artwork as well as the ideas his ideas will continue to have at Linfield. The last piece we added to this sculpture was the stairway leading up to the door. We hope this home will be a true heaven for Nils, where he can relax and continue to create wonderful things.https://digitalcommons.linfield.edu/avcstud_toothpick/1037/thumbnail.jp

Stairway to Heaven (View 2)

This sculpture was created as part of the Linfield College course Introduction to Studio, taught by Totem Shriver. In honor of Linfield professor and artist Nils Lou, who passed away in December 2013, this year\u27s sculptures respond to the prompt of a dream house for Nils. Artist\u27s Statement The original idea for our dream house for Nils was to create a womb, a symbol of safety, warmth and fertility. We expanded on that idea and created the female figure from the bottom of the torso to the neck. Not only is the female figure symbolic of the fertility of ideas we hope Nils will have in the afterlife, it also reflects Nils\u27s passions and the inspiration for some of his artwork, which included ceramic torsos. To make the sculpture look more like a home, we added windows, a door and several pieces of furniture. The midsection of the figure is Nils\u27s workshop, complete with workbench and a vase-in-progress. At the center of the chest is a brightly colored anatomical heart that represents the love Nils poured into his artwork as well as the ideas his ideas will continue to have at Linfield. The last piece we added to this sculpture was the stairway leading up to the door. We hope this home will be a true heaven for Nils, where he can relax and continue to create wonderful things.https://digitalcommons.linfield.edu/avcstud_toothpick/1035/thumbnail.jp