Abstract
In the early 1900s, the Gestalt psychologists introduced insight as a component process in perception and problem solving. Since the inception of the scientific study of insight, researchers have examined the phenomenological, behavioral, and neural components of insight, and how insight and other forms of cognition (e.g., analysis) differ in the aforementioned areas. This chapter reviews the historical contributions to the insight field, as well as the most recent and influential research that has shaped our understanding of insight. Of significance is research examining the faciliatory and inhibitory influences of prior knowledge, the antecedents of representational change, the neural components associated with insight, and the recent interest in enhancing rates of insight experiences. We conclude with an integration of research conducted to date, and we posit potential directions for the field as we continue to advance our knowledge of insight and its role in the creative process.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | The Oxford Handbook of Cognitive Psychology |
| Editors | Daniel Reisberg |
| Publisher | Oxford University Press |
| ISBN (Print) | 9780195376746 |
| State | Published - 2013 |