The Relationship Between Distractibility, Insight Problem-Solving & Working Memory Capacity

Abstract

The current study was an exploratory piece of research to investigate the relationship between Distractibility, Working Memory Capacity (WMC) and insight problem-solving. There were three main aims of the study. Firstly, the present study aimed to determine whether distractibility predicts insight problem-solving. Secondly, this research aimed to determine whether WMC predicts distractibility. Finally, to determine whether WMC predicts performance on insight problem-solving tasks. A total of 59 participants completed an online study deployed via Qualtrics experimental survey software and comprised of three parts. Firstly, a typical digit serial recall task was employed to test distractibility. Also, to test insight problem solving, the study employed both Compound Remote Associate Tasks (CRATs) and Rebus Puzzles. Finally, two working memory span tasks, Symmetry Span and Operation Span, were employed to measure visuo-spatial and verbal WMC.

The present study aimed to determine whether distractibility predicts insight problem-solving. A relationship was discovered between the number of correct answers given and time taken to solve visual and pictorial problem-solving tasks and distractibility by meaningless speech. Also, it was found distractibility by meaningless speech predicts the number of correct answers given to visual and pictorial problem-solving tasks, and the time taken to solve pictorial problem-solving tasks. Furthermore, a relationship was revealed between the number of correct answers given to visual and pictorial problem-solving tasks and distractibility for meaningful speech. Finally, it was shown that distractibility for meaningful speech predicts the number of correct answers given to visual problem-solving tasks.

Secondly, the current study aimed to determine whether WMC predicts distractibility. A relationship was discovered between a domain-general or domain-specific representational system of verbal and visuo-spatial WMC and one been less distracted by meaningful and meaningless speech.

Finally, the present study aimed to investigate whether WMC predicts insight problem-solving. It was discovered verbal WMC in a domain-specific representational system, and a combination of verbal and visuo-spatial WMC in a domain-general representational system predicts the time taken to solve difficult pictorial problem-solving tasks. Also, a relationship was revealed between verbal WMC been a domain-specific representational system and the time taken to solve visual pictorial problem-solving tasks. Additionally, a relationship was discovered between visuo-spatial WMC been a domain-specific representational system, and the time-taken to solve word pictorial problem-solving tasks. Furthermore, a relationship was shown between visuo-spatial WMC been a domain-specific representational system, and the number of correct answers given to easy word pictorial problem-solving tasks, and the time taken to solve difficult word pictorial problem-solving tasks. Finally, it was revealed verbal WMC in a domain-general representational
system, and verbal and visuo-spatial WMC in a domain-specific representational system predicts the time taken to solve difficult word pictorial problem-solving tasks.