ISSN 0439-755X
CN 11-1911/B
主办:中国心理学会
   中国科学院心理研究所
出版:科学出版社

心理学报 ›› 2006, Vol. 38 ›› Issue (04): 507-514.

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再探猜谜作业中“顿悟”的ERP效应

邱江;罗跃嘉;吴真真;张庆林   

  1. 西南大学心理学院人格与认知教育部重点实验室,重庆 400715) (2中国科学院心理研究所,北京 100101
  • 收稿日期:2005-12-07 修回日期:1900-01-01 发布日期:2006-07-30 出版日期:2006-07-30
  • 通讯作者: 罗跃嘉

A Further Study of the ERP Effects of ‘Insight’ in a Riddle Guessing Task

Qiu Jiang,luo Yuejia,Wu Zhen Zhen

  

  1. Key laboratory of personality and cognition (SWU), Ministry of Education, Chongqing 400715, China
  • Received:2005-12-07 Revised:1900-01-01 Online:2006-07-30 Published:2006-07-30
  • Contact: Luo Yuejia

摘要: 采用事件相关电位(ERP)技术探讨顿悟问题(字谜)解决中提供答案后的脑内时程动态变化。结果发现,在250~400 ms内,“有顿悟”和“不理解”比“无顿悟”的ERP波形均有一个更为负向的偏移。在“有顿悟—无顿悟”和“不理解—无顿悟”的差异波中,这个负成分的潜伏期约为320 ms (N320),地形图显示,N320在中后部活动最强。进一步对“有顿悟—无顿悟”差异波作偶极子溯源分析,发现N320主要起源于扣带前回(ACC)附近。这似乎表明,N320可能反映了提供答案瞬间新旧思路之间的认知冲突,但是却不能真正揭示顿悟问题解决中思维定势的成功突破以及“恍然大悟”所对应的独特脑内时程变化

关键词: 字谜, 顿悟, 认知冲突, 事件相关电位

Abstract:

Recently, Mai Xiaoqin et al. applied ERPs to examine the electrophysiological correlates of insight by providing a trigger (the solution) to catalyze the insightful riddle solving process. The authors found that Aha answers elicited a more negative ERP deflection (N380) than did No-aha answers in the time window from 250-500 ms. The dipole analysis localized the N380 generator to the ACC. Thus, they argued that the N380 likely reflected an “Aha” effect, and that the ACC generator might be involved in breaking the subject’s mental set. However, the researchers only analyzed the ERP elicited under the conditions of “Aha” and “No-aha” answers, but did not include ERP analyses for the participants that were unable to understand the correct answers (“Uncomprehended answer”). It is known that insight is a complex cognitive process, and there exists doubt whether N380 (the ACC’ activation) would truly reflect the perception of cognitive conflict in the early insight onset. Participants had the Aha experience if they could understand the right answer, but if they could not understand the right answer, they would not have the Aha experience and thus could not obtain insight. Therefore, analyzing the ERP elicited by Unknown answers was important, because it could further clarify the true meaning of N380.
Method
High-density event-related potentials (ERPs) were recorded to examine the electrophysiologic correlates of insight problem solving. One hundred and fifty interesting Chinese logogriphs were adopted as materials. For each trial, participants were either given an easy puzzle followed by a correct answer that was consistent with their initial thinking (No-aha answer), or a difficult puzzle followed by a correct answer that was consistent with an unusual interpretation, so that it broke the participant’s initial mental set (Aha answer). Participants were required to press the corresponding keys to indicate whether they understood the meaning of the riddle, including No-aha answer, Aha answer and Uncomprehended answer. According to participants’ responses, EEG of the “No-aha”, “Aha”, “Uncomprehended” answers was separately overlapped. The averaged epoch for ERP was 800 ms including a 100 ms the pre-answer baseline.
Results
In 130 riddles, mean trials for 61, 44 and 25, SE=5, 6 and 5, for Aha answers, No-aha answers and Uncomprehended answers, respectively. Mean reaction times (RTs) were 2,049 ± 561 ms for Aha answers and 748 ± 289 ms for No-aha answers; other riddles were not answered correctly within 4000 ms. From ERP waveforms, we found Aha answer and Uncomprehended answer both elicited a more negative ERP deflection than did No-aha answer in the time interval between 250-400 ms. In the difference waves (Aha minus No-aha answer and Uncomprehended minus No-aha answer), the peak latency was about 320 ms. A voltage map of the difference wave showed strong activity at the central posterior region, especially at the right temporal parietal. The Dipole analysis (BESA software) localized the generator of the N320 (Aha minus No-aha answer) in near the ACC and the thalamus.
Conclusions
Our results indicated that Aha answer and Uncomprehended answer both elicited a more negative component than did No-aha answers. The N320 may embody the central locale of cognitive conflict that resolves familiar and new ways of thinking, as the participant attempts to comprehend the riddles answers, but do not reflect the breakthrough of the participant’s initial mental set and the temporal course of brain processes corresponding to Aha experience in solving insight problems

Key words: riddle, insight, cognitive conflict, ERP

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