Surprise! Why Insightful Solution Is Pleasurable.

Area of Science:

• Cognitive Psychology
• Neuroscience
• Problem-Solving Research

Background:

• Insight problems are ill-defined and often solved suddenly, accompanied by an 'Aha!' experience.
• While often unplanned, insight problem-solving can be guided by goal-achievement expectations.
• Reward prediction error may influence the affective components of the 'Aha!' experience, aiding learning.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how adjusting expectation accuracy, via reward prediction error, impacts the affective components of the 'Aha!' experience.
• To determine the role of expectation accuracy in learning to solve similar insight problems.
• To identify key features of problems that influence expectedness during insight problem-solving.

Main Methods:

• Manipulated expectation accuracy by varying similarity in problem solution principle and structure within learning sets.
• Introduced a critical problem with changed structure and solution principle after each learning set (except control).
• Measured subjective feelings (pleasure, surprise), solution time, and expectation levels after each problem.

Main Results:

• Problems with learned similarities became more expected and were solved faster.
• A critical problem elicited increased pleasure and surprise, with decreased expectedness, specifically when both solution principle and structure were anticipated.
• Problem structure emerged as a critical determinant of expectedness in insight problem-solving.

Conclusions:

• The 'Aha!' experience is not merely a byproduct but plays a crucial role in learning.
• Adjusting expectations based on problem-solving experiences, particularly structure, is key to learning.
• This research highlights the adaptive function of the 'Aha!' experience in refining problem-solving strategies.