Thinking can cause forgetting: Memory dynamics in creative problem solving.

Abstract

Research on retrieval-induced forgetting has shown that retrieval can cause the forgetting of related or competing items in memory (Anderson, Bjork, & Bjork, 1994). In the present research, we examined whether an analogous phenomenon occurs in the context of creative problem solving. Using the Remote Associates Test (RAT; Mednick, 1962), we found that attempting to generate a novel common associate to 3 cue words caused the forgetting of other strong associates related to those cue words. This problem-solving-induced forgetting effect occurred even when participants failed to generate a viable solution, increased in magnitude when participants spent additional time problem solving, and was positively correlated with problem-solving success on a separate set of RAT problems. These results implicate a role for forgetting in overcoming fixation in creative problem solving.

Testing the Cue Dependence of Problem-Solving-Induced Forgetting

“…Although misleading associates may interfere with a participant's ability to retrieve a solution initially, an incubation period may reduce access to those interfering items and thus facilitate access to the hidden solution. Storm and colleagues have suggested that problem solvers may also have the capacity to overcome fixation during problem solving by actively inhibiting, and thus forgetting, fixation-inducing associates (Storm & Angello, 2010;Storm, Angello, & Bjork, 2011; for a review see Storm, 2011a). One finding that sup-ports this hypothesis is the correlation between RAT problem solving and retrieval-induced forgetting (Storm & Angello, 2010).…”

“…For example, just as retrieval success is not a necessary condition for retrieval-induced forgetting (Storm, Bjork, Bjork, & Nestojko, 2006;Storm & Nestojko, 2010), problem-solving success is not a necessary condition for problem-solving-induced forgetting (Storm et al, 2011). Attempting to solve problems caused participants to forget fixating associates even when those attempts failed.…”

“…In the context of remembering, retrieving one item can cause the forgetting of other items (Anderson, Bjork, & Bjork, 1994). A similar phenomenon has been observed in the context of creative problem solving-attempting to generate a target associate in the Remote Associates Test (RAT) can cause the forgetting of inappropriate associates (Storm, Angello, & Bjork, 2011). Experiment 1 examined whether this problem-solving-induced forgetting is cue dependent or cue independent by manipulating the cues used at final test.…”

“…2 (Spring 2012) inhibition. In subsequent work, Storm et al (2011) examined this possibility by having participants study a series of cue-response pairs prior to RAT problem solving. This time, however, only half of the cues from the word pairs formed the to-be-solved RAT problems.…”

“…For instance, in their third experiment, Storm et al (2011) examined the correlation between problem-solving-induced forgetting and problemsolving performance on a separate set of fixated RAT problems. Just as retrieval-induced forgetting correlated positively with problem-solving performance, so did problemsolving-induced forgetting.…”