The Prototype Heuristics Mechanism Of "Aha" Effect In The Solution Of Logogriph

Prototype heuristics is a new theory of insight proposed by domestic scholar recently. This theory presumed that the insight is a process inspired by a heuristic prototype in nature. The activation of prototype is the core component of prototype heuristics. In the process of insight problem solving, if we can activate the appropriate prototype and the heuristic information contained in it, the insight happen and the insight problems be resolved accordingly. Behavioral studies have shown that the theory can be divided into two parts:the prototype activation and heuristic information activation. The anterior studies provide some evidences that the activation of the prototype came as a result of automatic processing and the activation of heuristic information in prototype maybe the result of controlled processing. Since there is no direct electrophysiological evidence to support the theory of two-stage view, therefore, this study explored the physiological mechanism of the prototype heuristics, using the ERP technique with characteristics of high temporal resolution, selected logogriph (a riddle about a Chinese Character) problem as the material.This study included two experiments. Experiment 1 tested the physiological mechanism of facilitating effect of the activation of prototype through "study one and solve one" experimental paradigm. Experiment 2 explored the time course of the brain of activating a prototype for the current problem from more than one prototype through "study five and solve five" experimental paradigm.Experiment 1 consists of three experimental conditions:common component conditions (CCC), uncommon component conditions (UCC) and baseline conditions (BC). In the experiment, subjects were first provided an heuristic learning logogriph, then required to guess the answer to the subsequent test based on the information obtained in learning period. Results showed that UCC elicited a more negative ERP deflection(N300-500) than did CCC and BC between 300 and 500 ms, and CCC and UCC elicited a more positive ERP deflection (P800-1700) than did BC between 800 and 1700ms. We presumed that N300-500 components maybe indicated that there was a strong contrast between previous expectations and test logogriph in UCC relative to CCC and BC. Which reflecting the mind-set was broken. The P800-1700 component maybe reflected the application of the heuristic information to the test logogriph and getting the answer successfully. Subjects cannot solve the test logogriph directly from the heuristic information obtain from learning phase until access to the deep links between them. But in the baseline conditions, subjects can solve the logogriph in test phase based on heuristic information.The experimental conditions in Experiment 2 are the same as that in Experiment 1. We use "study five and solve five" experimental paradigm to explorer the time course of the brain of activating a prototype from more than one prototype through. Results showed that there is no significant difference among three conditions between 300 and 500 ms and CCC and UCC elicited a more positive ERP deflection (P800-1700) than did BC between 800 and 1700ms. We presumed that the insignificant difference between 300 and 500 ms maybe indicated that the activation of the prototypal logogriph from five was same in three conditions. We presumed that the P800-1700 component reflected the same cognitive progress to Experiment 1.