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From Walls to Windows: Using Barriers as Pathways to Insightful Solutions
Author(s) -
WALINGA JENNIFER
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
the journal of creative behavior
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.896
H-Index - 55
eISSN - 2162-6057
pISSN - 0022-0175
DOI - 10.1002/j.2162-6057.2010.tb01331.x
Subject(s) - variety (cybernetics) , creative problem solving , creativity , process (computing) , focus (optics) , management science , knowledge management , computer science , process management , representation (politics) , conceptual framework , psychology , artificial intelligence , sociology , engineering , social psychology , political science , physics , optics , operating system , social science , politics , law
The purpose of this study was to explore and develop a conceptual model for how individuals unlock insight. The concept of insight — the ‘out of the box’ or ‘aha!’ solution to a problem — offers a framework for exploring and understanding how best to enhance problem solving skills due to the cognitive shift insight requires. Creative problem solving (CPS) is inherent to a variety of performance realms including effective decision making, innovation, and organizational development; however, related processes of insight, innovation and creativity remain intangible. The model, based on a review of the problem solving literature, proposes that insight involves a five stage, cyclical process emerging as: primary appraisal of the problem, secondary appraisal based on prior knowledge, initial focus, problem representation, and solution generation when, if no solution is found, the cycle begins again. The research has implications for individual, team and organizational settings suggesting that performance on a wide variety of problems may be improved by utilizing an integrated focus rather than a barrier or goal focus alone.