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Working Memory Facilitates Insight Instead of Hindering It: Comment on Decaro, Van Stockum, and Wieth (2016)

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Title: Working Memory Facilitates Insight Instead of Hindering It: Comment on Decaro, Van Stockum, and Wieth (2016)
Language: English
Authors: Chuderski, Adam, Jastrzebski, Jan
Source: Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition. Dec 2017 43(12):1993-2004.
Availability: American Psychological Association. Journals Department, 750 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20002. Tel: 800-374-2721; Tel: 202-336-5510; Fax: 202-336-5502; e-mail: order@apa.org; Web site: http://www.apa.org
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 12
Publication Date: 2017
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Descriptors: Short Term Memory, Intuition, Correlation, Problem Solving, Accuracy, Creative Thinking, Replication (Evaluation), Educational Experiments, Barriers, Prediction, Task Analysis, Cognitive Processes, Foreign Countries, Statistical Analysis, Factor Analysis
Geographic Terms: Poland
DOI: 10.1037/xlm0000409
ISSN: 0278-7393
Abstract: The "nothing-special" account of insight predicts positive correlations of insight problem solving and working memory capacity (WMC), whereas the "special-process" account expects no, or even negative, correlations. In the latter vein, DeCaro, Van Stockum Jr., and Wieth (2016) have recently reported weak negative WMC correlations with 2 constraint relaxation matchstick problems and 3 insight problems, and thus they claim that WM hinders insight. Here, we report on 3 studies that investigated WMC and various matchstick and classical problems (including 1 study that precisely replicated DeCaro et al.'s procedure). All 3 studies yielded moderate positive correlations of WMC with both the constraint relaxation and the classical problems. WMC explained 10% variance in problem solving, no matter what problems were used or how they were applied. Thus, DeCaro et al.'s claim that WM hinders insight is unwarranted. The opposite is true: WM facilitates insight. [This article is a commentary on "When Higher Working Memory Capacity Hinders Insight," EJ1086953.]
Abstractor: As Provided
Number of References: 42
Entry Date: 2017
Accession Number: EJ1163716
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
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  Data: Working Memory Facilitates Insight Instead of Hindering It: Comment on Decaro, Van Stockum, and Wieth (2016)
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  Data: American Psychological Association. Journals Department, 750 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20002. Tel: 800-374-2721; Tel: 202-336-5510; Fax: 202-336-5502; e-mail: order@apa.org; Web site: http://www.apa.org
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Short+Term+Memory%22">Short Term Memory</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Intuition%22">Intuition</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Correlation%22">Correlation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Problem+Solving%22">Problem Solving</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Accuracy%22">Accuracy</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Creative+Thinking%22">Creative Thinking</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Replication+%28Evaluation%29%22">Replication (Evaluation)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Educational+Experiments%22">Educational Experiments</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Barriers%22">Barriers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Prediction%22">Prediction</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Task+Analysis%22">Task Analysis</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Cognitive+Processes%22">Cognitive Processes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Statistical+Analysis%22">Statistical Analysis</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Factor+Analysis%22">Factor Analysis</searchLink>
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  Data: 10.1037/xlm0000409
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  Data: The "nothing-special" account of insight predicts positive correlations of insight problem solving and working memory capacity (WMC), whereas the "special-process" account expects no, or even negative, correlations. In the latter vein, DeCaro, Van Stockum Jr., and Wieth (2016) have recently reported weak negative WMC correlations with 2 constraint relaxation matchstick problems and 3 insight problems, and thus they claim that WM hinders insight. Here, we report on 3 studies that investigated WMC and various matchstick and classical problems (including 1 study that precisely replicated DeCaro et al.'s procedure). All 3 studies yielded moderate positive correlations of WMC with both the constraint relaxation and the classical problems. WMC explained 10% variance in problem solving, no matter what problems were used or how they were applied. Thus, DeCaro et al.'s claim that WM hinders insight is unwarranted. The opposite is true: WM facilitates insight. [This article is a commentary on "When Higher Working Memory Capacity Hinders Insight," EJ1086953.]
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        PageCount: 12
        StartPage: 1993
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