8. Insight

(NB creative people put things together in a different and novel way)

8.1 Test yourself by suggesting a word that links or connects the 3 words, ie find a solution word that has something to do with each of the 3 words, eg

- tennis, strike and same (possible answers: match, ball, game)

- pine, crab and sauce (possible answers: apple, juice, food)

- sandwich, house & golf (possible answer: club)

- date, alley & fold (possible answers: first, fast)

- hammer, gear & hunter (possible answers: head)

- cover, arm & wear (possible answers: under)

- brain, mind, thinking (possible answers: neuroscience, exams, ideas, intellect, IQ, memory, brainstorming)

- house, shed, hospital (possible answers: buildings, shelter, shade)

- river, sea, ocean (possible answers: water, swimming, sailing)

- book, letter, email (possible answers: reading, writing, data, information, communications, message)

- wife, sister, daughter (possible answers: females, relatives, women, shopping, money, trouble)

- cottage, Swiss & cake (possible answers: cheese)

- dive, light & rocket (possible answers: head, sky)

- date, alley & fold (possible answers:.........................)

- dream, ball & book (possible answers:.......................)

8.2 A man and his son are in a serious car accident. The father is killed, and the son is rushed to the emergency room. Upon arrival, the attending doctor looks at the child and gasps, "This child is my son! "Who is the doctor?

8.3 A giant inverted steel pyramid is perfectly balanced on its point. Any movement of the pyramid will cause it to topple over. Underneath the pyramid is a $500 note. How do you remove the note without disturbing the pyramid?

Comments on Insight activities

. How did you solve the problem, ie

- did you logically work it out or did the answer come to you in a flash?

- when you got the answer, did you know it was correct straight away?

. Insights often appear to come from nowhere and at the most unusual times, eg when you are putting no conscious effort into solving a problem, such as when in the shower, doing exercise, driving, waking-up, etc

. Insights come from instinctive thinking, ie unable to explain how the thinking process works. This is different from deliberate thinking, ie using a structured approach (systematic/logical). This method works best when we have time, help of a computer and a clearly defined task.

. Insights involve more visual than verbal/written recognition. The latter involves recording your thought process which will reduce the chance of an insight due to

- paralysis through analysis

- becoming too reflective on the process

- too much focus on the mechanics/details/rules & regulations, etc, ie drown in the data

"...introspection destroys people's ability to solve insight problems..."

Malcolm Gladwell, 2005

 

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