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Does incubation enhance problem solving? A meta-analytic review
journal contribution
posted on 2023-06-08, 18:53 authored by Ut Na Sio, Thomas OrmerodThomas OrmerodA meta-analytic review of empirical studies that have investigated incubation effects on problem solving is reported. Although some researchers have reported increased solution rates after an incubation period (i.e., a period of time in which a problem is set aside prior to further attempts to solve), others have failed to find effects. The analysis examined the contributions of moderators such as problem type, presence of solution-relevant or misleading cues, and lengths of preparation and incubation periods to incubation effect sizes. The authors identified a positive incubation effect, with divergent thinking tasks benefiting more than linguistic and visual insight tasks from incubation. Longer preparation periods gave a greater incubation effect, whereas filling an incubation period with high cognitive demand tasks gave a smaller incubation effect. Surprisingly, low cognitive demand tasks yielded a stronger incubation effect than did rest during an incubation period when solving linguistic insight problems. The existence of multiple types of incubation effect provides evidence for differential invocation of knowledge-based vs. strategic solution processes across different classes of problem, and it suggests that the conditions under which incubation can be used as a practical technique for enhancing problem solving must be designed with care.
History
Publication status
- Published
Journal
Psychological BulletinISSN
0033-2909Publisher
Psychological BulletinExternal DOI
Issue
1Volume
135Page range
94 - 120Department affiliated with
- Evolution, Behaviour and Environment Publications
Notes
This article may not exactly replicate the final version published in the APA journal. It is not the copy of record.Full text available
- No
Peer reviewed?
- Yes