Is my Aha! bigger than yours? Investigating individual differences in the experience of insight

A Neural Network Theory (NNT) account of insight processes and individual differences in cognitive ability predicts that, compared to routine problem solving, insight experiences will be associated with less involvement of control functions and will occur less frequently among people with greater fluid ability. The present study investigated the role of fluid intelligence and metacognitive control in the elicitation of Aha experiences. Seventy-six participants, predominantly university students (84% female), attempted a set of problems, including classic insight, non-insight and riddles. Subjective experiences of insight, certainty and suddenness of the solution process were measured, using a purpose-built concurrent rating apparatus and retrospective report. Participants completed Raven’s Advanced Progressive Matrices (fluid intelligence) and an attention-switching task (metacognitive control). Hierarchical Generalised Linear Modelling was used to model Aha experiences as a function of item-level predictors (Level 1) and person-characteristics (Level 2). The overall odds of reporting an Aha experience were 0.42. Higher fluid intelligence, but not metacognitive control, was associated with reduced odds of reporting Aha on a problem (OR=0.88, 95% CI: 0.82,0.95), controlling for accuracy, solution suddenness, and verbal skills. Aha experiences were significantly associated with multiple theoretically meaningful retrospective and concurrent problem-solving experience ratings, with fluid intelligence moderating some associations. These findings support the NNT account of insight as a special process and fluid intelligence as a factor limiting the complexity, and accessible solution states from the initial problem representation, leading to the requirement for an alternative representation. The study demonstrates some methodological solutions to difficulties inherent in measuring insight. A chimpanzee named Sultan, two sticks, and a hard-to-reach banana; this is the scenario from which almost a century of research investigating “Aha!” experiences emerged (Ohlsson, 1992). Early Gestalt psychologist Wolfgang Kohler observed that after repeated attempts to reach the banana, Sultan entered a failure-induced sulk. However, he became suddenly re-energised, and purposefully joined two sticks together to retrieve the banana (Kohler, 1921 cited in Ohlsson 1992). How, after numerous attempts and apparent acceptance of failure, did the solution to this intractable problem suddenly appear in Sultan's consciousness? What processes simmering beyond conscious awareness conjured a fully formed solution and planted it so abruptly into Sultan's dormant and tortured mind? "Aha!" Aha experiences are thought to be indicative of a moment of insight and have historically been associated with exceptional creativity, scientific discovery and genius (Hill & Kemp, 2018; Metcalfe & Wiebe, 1987; Shen et al., 2016; Sternberg & Davidson, 1995). These experiences have been shown to be distinct neurophysiological phenomena (Bowden & Jung-Beeman, 2003; Kounios et al., 2006; Sandkühler & Bhattacharya, 2008; Tik et al., 2018) that facilitate memory (Danek et al., 2013), improve learning (Dominowski & Buyer, 2000), and provide motivation during difficult learning (Liljedahl, 2005). Current definitions of insight moments describe them as the occurrence of a solution or path to a solution suddenly and unexpectedly coming to mind following a pause in active thinking when a problem-solver feels unable to make further progress (Bowden et al., 2005; Sternberg & Davidson, 1995). Insight is asserted to be a special process that is distinct from analytical problem-solving (Knoblich et al., 1999; Ohlsson, 1992; Sternberg & Davidson, 1995). Analytical problem-solving is continuous and incremental and does not engender a salient Aha experience (Schooler et al., 1993). Despite a substantial body of research seeking to demystify these processes, the specialness of insight is still the subject of much debate. Recent research suggests that the lack of clarity is a result of the way insight is operationalised in many studies as “solving an insight problem” (Danek et al., 2016; Webb et al., 2016) without verifying that the problem-solver has experienced an Aha moment. These studies indicate that insight is not reliably evoked by these problems, suggesting the processes engaged in solving insight problems may be idiosyncratic (Danek et al., 2016; Webb et al., 2016). That is, it is possible that rather than task requirements, individual differences of the problem-solver influence whether or not insight processes are used to solve a problem and the subsequent occurence of an Aha experience. Two individual characteristics that may be relevant to the Aha experience are fluid intelligence and metacognitive control. Fluid intelligence is defined as the ability to use controlled and deliberate mental operations to solve problems, deduce patterns, identify relations and draw inferences (McGrew, 2009). Metacognitive control is a facet of metacognition that refers explicitly to the control processes involved in regulating and directing information processing resources (Nelson & Narens, 1990). Differing levels of these abilities may influence the cognitive processes engaged during problem-solving (Dix et al., 2016). Thus, the central aim of this study is to investigate whether individual differences in fluid intelligence or metacognitive control influence whether an Aha experience occurs upon problem-solving. The present study agrees with several others that an Aha reported by the problem-solver is verification that insight has occurred (Bowden et al., 2005; Danek et al., 2016; Webb et al., 2016). However, some researchers argue that Aha experiences occur randomly (Chuderski, 2014) or are related to post-solution affect of evaluations of the solution (Topolinski & Reber, 2010). The second aim of the present study is to determine if Aha moments are associated with problem-solving experiences that are indicative of a special process. Due to current limitations in methodology, a new device was developed to accomplish this aim. This is described in section 2.5

Cosmic rays studied with a hybrid high school detector array

The LORUN/NAHSA system is a pathfinder for hybrid cosmic ray research combined with education and outreach in the field of astro-particle physics. Particle detectors and radio antennae were mainly setup by students and placed on public buildings. After fully digital data acquisition, coincidence detections were selected. Three candidate events confirmed a working prototype, which can be multiplied to extend further particle detector arrays on high schools.Comment: 10 pages, 6 figures. Nigl, A., Timmermans, C., Schellart, P., Kuijpers, J., Falcke, H., Horneffer, A., de Vos, C. M., Koopman, Y., Pepping, H. J., Schoonderbeek, G., Cosmic rays studied with a hybrid high school detector array, Europhysics News (EPN), Vol. 38, No. 5, accepted on 22/08/200

When a fly ball is out of reach: catchability judgments are not based on optical acceleration cancelation.

The optical acceleration cancelation (OAC) strategy, based on Chapman’s (1968) analysis of the outfielder problem, has been the dominant account for the control of running to intercept fly balls approaching head on. According to the OAC strategy, outfielders will arrive at the interception location just in time to catch the ball when they keep optical acceleration zero. However, the affordance aspect of this task, that is, whether or not an approaching fly ball is catchable, is not part of this account. The present contribution examines whether the scope of the OAC strategy can be extended to also include the affordance aspect of running to catch a fly ball. This is done by considering a fielder’s action boundaries (i.e., maximum running velocity and – acceleration) in the context of the OAC strategy. From this, only when running velocity is maximal and optical acceleration is non-zero, a fielder would use OAC to perceive a fly ball as uncatchable. The present contribution puts this hypothesis to the test. Participants were required to try to intercept fly balls projected along their sagittal plane. Some fly balls were catchable whereas others were not. Participants were required to catch as many fly balls as possible and to call ‘no’ when they perceived a fly ball to be uncatchable. Participants’ running velocity and –acceleration at the moment of calling ‘no’ were examined. Results showed that participants’ running velocity was submaximal before or while calling ‘no’. Also running acceleration was often submaximal. These results cannot be explained by the use of OAC in judging catchability and ultimately call for a new strategy of locomotor control in running to catch a fly ball

No effect of a graded training program on the number of running-related injuries in novice runners

Background: Although running has positive effects on health and fitness, the incidence of a running-related injury (RRI) is high. Research on prevention of RRI is scarce; to date, no studies have involved novice runners. Hypothesis: A graded training program for novice runners will lead to a decrease in the absolute number of RRIs compared with a standard training program. Study Design: Randomized controlled trial; Level of evidence, 1. Methods: GRONORUN (Groningen Novice Running) is a 2-armed randomized controlled trial comparing a standard 8-week training program (control group) and an adapted, graded, 13-week training program (intervention group), on the risk of sustaining an RRI. Participants were novice runners (N = 532) preparing for a recreational 4-mile (6.7-km) running event. The graded 13-week training program was based on the 10% training rule. Both groups registered information on running characteristics and RRI using an Internet-based running log. The primary outcome measure was RRIs per 100 participants. An RRI was defined as any musculoskeletal complaint of the lower extremity or back causing a restriction of running for at least 1 week. Results: The graded training program was not preventive for sustaining an RRI (χ2 = 0.016, df = 1, P = .90). The incidence of RRI was 20.8% in the graded training program group and 20.3% in the standard training program group. Conclusions: This randomized controlled trial showed no effect of a graded training program (13 weeks) in novice runners, applying the 10% rule, on the incidence of RRI compared with a standard 8-week training program

Radio emission of highly inclined cosmic ray air showers measured with LOPES

LOPES-10 (the first phase of LOPES, consisting of 10 antennas) detected a significant number of cosmic ray air showers with a zenith angle larger than 50$^{\circ}$, and many of these have very high radio field strengths. The most inclined event that has been detected with LOPES-10 has a zenith angle of almost 80$^{\circ}$. This is proof that the new technique is also applicable for cosmic ray air showers with high inclinations, which in the case that they are initiated close to the ground, can be a signature of neutrino events.Our results indicate that arrays of simple radio antennas can be used for the detection of highly inclined air showers, which might be triggered by neutrinos. In addition, we found that the radio pulse height (normalized with the muon number) for highly inclined events increases with the geomagnetic angle, which confirms the geomagnetic origin of radio emission in cosmic ray air showers.Comment: A&A accepte

Using Design Thinking for Co-Creating an Integrated Care Pathway Including Hospital at Home for Older Adults with an Acute Moderate-Severe Respiratory Infection in the Netherlands

Introduction: Acute respiratory infections are common in frail, community-dwelling older people and are accompanied by considerable diagnostic and prognostic uncertainties. Inadequately coordinated care is associated with unnecessary hospital referral and admission with potential iatrogenic harm. Therefore, we aimed to co-create a regional integrated care pathway (ICP), including a hospital at home journey. Developing the ICP: Tasked with using design thinking methodology, stakeholders from regional healthcare facilities, together with patient representatives, were assigned to different focus groups based on their expertise. The focus of each session was to co-create ideal patient journeys suitable for embedding in the ICP. Results: Based on these sessions, a regional cross-domain ICP was developed that comprises three patient journeys. The first journey included a hospital at home track, the second a tailored visit, with priority assessment, to regional emergency departments, and the third concerned referral to readily available nursing home ‘recovery-beds’ under the supervision of an elderly care medicine specialist. Conclusion: Using design thinking and involving end-users during the whole process, we created an ICP for community-dwelling frail older people with moderate-severe acute respiratory infections. This resulted in three realistic patient journeys, including a hospital at home track, which will be implemented and evaluated in the near future