Einstellung: Knowledge of the Phenomenon Facilitates Problem Solving

Lane, David M.; Jensen, Dean G.

doi:10.1177/154193129303701816

Cited by 6 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 5 publications

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“…In these studies, it is normally assumed that asking participants to pay more attention will drive them to perform better and therefore solve the task using the shorter D-solution. For example, Lane and Jensen (1993) showed that simply telling participants about the Einstellung effect can reduce the proportion of E-solutions significantly. Chrysikou and Weisberg (2005) also found that using de-fixation instructions (i.e., explicitly asking people to avoid using previously provided example solutions) eliminated set effect of the example solutions in problem-solving.…”

Section: Don't Be Blindmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reconstructing the Einstellung Effect

Binz

Schulz

2022

Comput Brain Behav

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The Einstellung effect was first described by Abraham Luchins in his doctoral thesis published in 1942. The effect occurs when a repeated solution to old problems is applied to a new problem even though a more appropriate response is available. In Luchins' so-called water jar task, participants had to measure a specific amount of water using three jars of different capacities. Luchins found that subjects kept using methods they had applied in previous trials, even if a more efficient solution for the current trial was available: an Einstellung effect. Moreover, Luchins studied the different conditions that could possibly mediate this effect, including telling participants to pay more attention, changing the number of tasks, alternating between different types of tasks, as well as putting participants under time pressure. In the current work, we reconstruct and reanalyze the data of the various experimental conditions published in Luchins' thesis. We furthermore show that a model of resource-rational decision-making can explain all of the observed effects. This model assumes that people transform prior preferences into a posterior policy to maximize rewards under time constraints. Taken together, our reconstructive and modeling results put the Einstellung effect under the lens of modern-day psychology and show how resource-rational models can explain effects that have historically been seen as deficiencies of human problem-solving.

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Section: Don't Be Blindmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reconstructing the Einstellung Effect

Binz

Schulz

2022

Comput Brain Behav

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“…In addition to instructing people to disregard solution features, participants might be warned about fixation with the expectation that their subsequent creative performance will be improved. For example, in Lane and Jensen's (1993) experiment, one group was provided with text that said: “Hint for Solution. Under some circumstances, people who have developed a strategy to solve a series of problems are less likely to solve a subsequent problem.…”

Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

How to Guard Against Fixation? Demonstrating Individual Vulnerability is More Effective Than Warning of General Risk

Neroni

Crilly

2020

Journal of Creative Behavior

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Creative behavior can be inhibited by fixation and so reducing fixation is a focus of much creativity research. One of the most common methods of tackling fixation is to warn people of fixation risks and instruct them to avoid constrained problem framing and solution search. However, such treatments are often ineffective. One possible explanation for this is that people typically believe that they (as individuals) are less vulnerable to a specified risk than other people are (in general). If we really want to motivate people to guard against a risk, we need to demonstrate that they, as individuals, are vulnerable to those risks. To study the effect of demonstrating individual vulnerability to fixation, we conducted an online experimental study using number and word tasks that both included a fixation "trap." The first task was used to provide a "demonstrated vulnerability" treatment (revealing participants' own fixated behavior) to the experimental group. This group outperformed those who received a comparable "asserted vulnerability" treatment (a warning about general fixation effects) and also those in a control group. Researchers and practitioners developing creativity training and tools aimed at reducing fixation effects should consider the benefits of demonstrating individual vulnerability to fixation rather than, or in combination with, issuing warnings that people in general are vulnerable to fixation.

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“…We have not specifically addressed design fixation in our analysis, hence we are unable to show whether the teams were at times fixated. Nevertheless, group reflection should contribute to the awareness of one being fixated (Lane and Jensen, 1993;Crilly and Cardoso, 2017).…”

Section: Sketching Increases the Chance Of The Survival Of Framesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Visualised Frames: How Sketching Influences Framing Behaviour in Design Teams

Yang¹,

Brik²,

Jong³

et al. 2019

Proc. Int. Conf. Eng. Des.

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Framing is a crucial skill for connecting problem and solution spaces in the creative design process, both for individuals and teams. Frames are implicit in individuals’ cognitive thinking, but the creation of shared frames plays a vital role in collaborative design. Many studies have attempted to describe the framing process, but little is still known about how to support designers in framing, specifically in teams. This paper addresses this gap, by exploring the connection between sketching and framing within interdisciplinary teams. Following a qualitative and explorative approach, we have investigated the process and outcome of five interdisciplinary teams. We identified that sketching assists in the creation and elaboration of frames. Furthermore, in tandem with discussion and reflection, sketching helps increase the chance of a frame to survive within the design process. Our findings have practical and educational implications for improving the creative design process in interdisciplinary teams.

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Einstellung: Knowledge of the Phenomenon Facilitates Problem Solving

Cited by 6 publications

References 5 publications

Reconstructing the Einstellung Effect

Reconstructing the Einstellung Effect

How to Guard Against Fixation? Demonstrating Individual Vulnerability is More Effective Than Warning of General Risk

Visualised Frames: How Sketching Influences Framing Behaviour in Design Teams

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