The Effect Of Psychological Distance And Cognitive Style On Insight Problem Solving

Under the background of advocating innovation,China provides a powerful intellectual support for the participation in international competition under globalization by making great efforts to construct a innovative society and improving the creativity of Chinese. Creative thinking is the core of creativity, and insight is one of the main forms of creative thinking, so the research of insight is very significant. At present, the psychologists are aware of the impact of the external context to insight problem solving, and have conducted some related research. Construal Level Theory(CLT) claims that the psychological distance is the distance that people perceive and understand the object.Temporal distance, spatial distance,social distance and possibility constitute the four dimension of the psychological distance. Researchers from abroad have discussed the impacts of the temporal distance and spatial distance to the creativity and insight problem solving. However,the research on the role of psychological distance in the creation is still quite scarce in domestic. It will help people use a variety of ways to enhance creativity if we understand the role of creativity and psychological distance in insight problem solving.Cognitive style refers to the tendency and the congnitive mode which individuals have during the process on apperception, memory, thinking and problem solution. Congnitive style is significant in educational theory and practice,and it is built as a bridge between intelligence and personality to connect the two intermediate variables, and it is lso an important variable which reflects the individual differences. Now, most research focus on the characteristic of creative thinking wtih different cognitive styles. Few research is interested in the process of creative thinking, particularly on the impact of insight problem solving. But it can help educators take different ways to enhance creativity for different people if we know the ability to solve the insight problem of individuals with different cognitive styles.This study conducts four 2×2 experiments to distinct different individuals with various cognitive styles by Embedded Figures Test. And this study inspires individuals to generate near and far temporal distance, near and far spatial distance, near and far social distance and the low and high probability by set the guidance situation. Further, It explores the role to the accuracy and reaction time of the psychological distance and cognitive styles to the riddle problem and traditional insight problem solving. The study found:(1)Far temporal distance can promote individuals'accuracy and reaction time of the riddle problem and traditional insight problem solving. And field dependents have significant difference in the accuracy and reaction time in the riddle problem solving, and there is no significant difference in the traditional insight problem solving under near and far temporal distance.(2) Far spatial distance can enhance individuals'accuracy and reaction time of the riddle problem and traditional insight problem solving. And field dependents have significant difference in the accuracy and have no significant difference in reaction time in the riddle problem solving under near and far temporal distance. And there is no significant difference in both the accuracy and reaction time in the traditional insight problem solving under near and far spatial distance.(3) Far social distance can make individuals have better accuracy and reaction time of the riddle problem and traditional insight problem solving. And field dependents have significant difference in the accuracy and have no significant difference in reaction time in the riddle problem solving under near and far social distance. And there is no significant difference in both the accuracy and reaction time in the traditional insight problem solving under near and far social distance.(4)Under the low probability, individuals can have better accuracy and reaction time of the riddle problem and traditional insight problem solving. And field dependents have significant difference in the accuracy and have no significant difference in reaction time in the riddle problem solving. And there is no significant difference in both the accuracy and reaction time in the traditional insight problem solving.(5) Field dependents can have better accuracy and reaction time of the riddle problem and traditional insight problem solving. And there is no significant difference in both the accuracy and reaction time in all the situations.