1. The origins of insight in resting-state brain activity
- Author
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Kounios, John, Fleck, Jessica I., Green, Deborah L., Payne, Lisa, Stevenson, Jennifer L., Bowden, Edward M., and Jung-Beeman, Mark
- Subjects
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BRAIN research , *SPECTRAL analysis (Phonetics) , *PROBLEM solving , *ELECTROENCEPHALOGRAPHY - Abstract
Abstract: People can solve problems in more than one way. Two general strategies involve (A) methodical, conscious, search of problem-state transformations, and (B) sudden insight, with abrupt emergence of the solution into consciousness. This study elucidated the influence of initial resting brain-state on subjects’ subsequent strategy choices. High-density electroencephalograms (EEGs) were recorded from subjects at rest who were subsequently directed to solve a series of anagrams. Subjects were divided into two groups based on the proportion of anagram solutions derived with self-reported insight versus search. Reaction time and accuracy results were consistent with different cognitive problem-solving strategies used for solving anagrams with versus without insight. Spectral analyses yielded group differences in resting-state EEG supporting hypotheses concerning insight-related attentional diffusion and right-lateralized hemispheric asymmetry. These results reveal a relationship between resting-state brain activity and problem-solving strategy, and, more generally, a dependence of event-related neural computations on the preceding resting state. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]
- Published
- 2008
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