Einstellung: Knowledge of the Phenomenon Facilitates Problem Solving

Abstract

If subjects are given a series of problems that all have the same type of solution, they often have great difficulty with a subsequent problem that would ordinarily be solved very easily. This phenomenon is referred to as psychic blindness or Einstellung. This study explored whether knowledge of the Einstellung phenomenon facilitates problem solving. Eight subjects in each of three experimental conditions were given set-inducing problems followed by an otherwise easy “critical” problem that could not be solved by the strategy used on the set-inducing problems. Subjects in one condition worked on the easy problem without interruption. Subjects in a second condition were interrupted by an unexpected event. Subjects in a third condition were interrupted by a message explaining how the ability to solve an otherwise easy problem could be inhibited after solving a series of problems with more difficult solutions. Subjects given this hint were three times more likely to solve the easy problem than were subjects in the other experimental conditions. Four subjects in the No-Set Control condition all solved the easy problem by the third trial. The implications for training electronics technicians, computer programmers and other problem solvers are discussed.