Long-distance exploration in insightful problem-solving

Abstract

Insight represents a sudden and profound understanding, offering a new perspective that can offer the solution to a previously intractable problem. Insight is tightly associated with an “Aha” experience. Although various theories have attempted to explain how insight emerges, the dynamic search process leading to insight remains poorly understood, primarily due to the complex nature of creative problem-solving. In this study, we employ two versions of the Japanese remote associates test (RAT) (n = 349 and n = 105 participants, respectively), alongside a simulation model. This allows us to quantitatively manipulate the constraints imposed on the problem and to track the search process within the solution space. Our findings indicate that the insight and the accompanying “Aha” moment are characterized by exploration that spans greater distances within the solution space, thereby increasing the number of potential solutions available for evaluation.

Combining human data and a simulation, this study shows that problem-solving relies on a dynamic interplay between de-fixation and exploration, where broader exploration marks more insightful searches.