Final published version
Research output: Contribution in Book/Report/Proceedings - With ISBN/ISSN › Chapter
Research output: Contribution in Book/Report/Proceedings - With ISBN/ISSN › Chapter
}
TY - CHAP
T1 - The Aha Moment
AU - Prenevost, Mathilde H.
AU - Reber, Rolf
PY - 2024/5/7
Y1 - 2024/5/7
N2 - The chapter discusses changes related to the aha moment, which is defined as a sudden insight, accompanied by a sense of ease, positive affect, and subjective certainty. We present research and theory from psychology and neuroscience. At least four types of changes can be identified. First, there is a cognitive change in understanding, an insight, often described as mental restructuring. Second, there is an affective change, which consists of a series of epistemic feelings that accompany insight. Both experimental and correlational research illuminate the role of epistemic feelings in aha moments. Third, after an aha moment, there is a positive motivational change, as documented in experimental and descriptive studies. Finally, such motivational changes may help explain developmental change, as aha moments could be a long sought-after answer to the question of what motivates cognitive development. The chapter elaborates these four types of change.
AB - The chapter discusses changes related to the aha moment, which is defined as a sudden insight, accompanied by a sense of ease, positive affect, and subjective certainty. We present research and theory from psychology and neuroscience. At least four types of changes can be identified. First, there is a cognitive change in understanding, an insight, often described as mental restructuring. Second, there is an affective change, which consists of a series of epistemic feelings that accompany insight. Both experimental and correlational research illuminate the role of epistemic feelings in aha moments. Third, after an aha moment, there is a positive motivational change, as documented in experimental and descriptive studies. Finally, such motivational changes may help explain developmental change, as aha moments could be a long sought-after answer to the question of what motivates cognitive development. The chapter elaborates these four types of change.
U2 - 10.4324/9781003316602-15
DO - 10.4324/9781003316602-15
M3 - Chapter
BT - The Routledge International Handbook of Changes in Human Perceptions and Behaviors
A2 - Taku, Kanako
A2 - Shackelford, Todd K.
PB - Routledge
ER -