View in EDS HTML Full Text PDF Full Text

How does unconscious processing promote creative problem-solving? An examination using priming methods.

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: How does unconscious processing promote creative problem-solving? An examination using priming methods.
Authors: Liu, Chengzhen1 (AUTHOR), Tu, Shen2 (AUTHOR), Guan, Jinliang3 (AUTHOR), Zhou, Zhihao4 (AUTHOR), Ma, Jing5 (AUTHOR), Shi, Zifu6 (AUTHOR) shizf@hunnu.edu.cn
Source: Thinking & Reasoning. Aug2025, Vol. 31 Issue 3, p374-397. 24p.
Subjects: Subliminal perception, Priming (Psychology), Cognitive psychology
Abstract: This study investigated the effect of unconscious processing on creative problem solving (CPS) by combining a revised priming paradigm that manipulated the content of unconscious processing together with remote association tests (RAT). In the real world, most CPS is facilitated by unconscious information processing after a problem is represented. However, most previous studies have focused on priming subthreshold stimuli before the problem presentation, with few exploring unconscious priming after the problem is presented, even though different prime timings might involve distinct processing mechanisms. Therefore, Experiment 1 compared the unconscious priming effects of presenting the prime prior to the target (Before-T) versus during target solving (During-T). The RAT difficulty and type of priming material were also manipulated. The results of Experiment 1 revealed a significant difference in the priming effects of prime timing with the During-T group benefiting more from subliminal stimuli than the Before-T group. Experiment 2 further strengthened the justifications for the hypotheses regarding the influence of word versus picture priming in the during-T condition. Overall, this study found a clear dissociable contribution of unconscious processing to CPS, and the facilitation effect was optimised by prime timing, the prime material, and RAT difficulty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Thinking & Reasoning is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Engineering Source
Full text is not displayed to guests.
FullText Links:
  – Type: pdflink
Text:
  Availability: 1
Header DbId: egs
DbLabel: Engineering Source
An: 186774453
AccessLevel: 6
PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: How does unconscious processing promote creative problem-solving? An examination using priming methods.
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Liu%2C+Chengzhen%22">Liu, Chengzhen</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Tu%2C+Shen%22">Tu, Shen</searchLink><relatesTo>2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Guan%2C+Jinliang%22">Guan, Jinliang</searchLink><relatesTo>3</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Zhou%2C+Zhihao%22">Zhou, Zhihao</searchLink><relatesTo>4</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Ma%2C+Jing%22">Ma, Jing</searchLink><relatesTo>5</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Shi%2C+Zifu%22">Shi, Zifu</searchLink><relatesTo>6</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> shizf@hunnu.edu.cn</i>
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Source
  Group: Src
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Thinking+%26+Reasoning%22">Thinking & Reasoning</searchLink>. Aug2025, Vol. 31 Issue 3, p374-397. 24p.
– Name: Subject
  Label: Subjects
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Subliminal+perception%22">Subliminal perception</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Priming+%28Psychology%29%22">Priming (Psychology)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Cognitive+psychology%22">Cognitive psychology</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: This study investigated the effect of unconscious processing on creative problem solving (CPS) by combining a revised priming paradigm that manipulated the content of unconscious processing together with remote association tests (RAT). In the real world, most CPS is facilitated by unconscious information processing after a problem is represented. However, most previous studies have focused on priming subthreshold stimuli before the problem presentation, with few exploring unconscious priming after the problem is presented, even though different prime timings might involve distinct processing mechanisms. Therefore, Experiment 1 compared the unconscious priming effects of presenting the prime prior to the target (Before-T) versus during target solving (During-T). The RAT difficulty and type of priming material were also manipulated. The results of Experiment 1 revealed a significant difference in the priming effects of prime timing with the During-T group benefiting more from subliminal stimuli than the Before-T group. Experiment 2 further strengthened the justifications for the hypotheses regarding the influence of word versus picture priming in the during-T condition. Overall, this study found a clear dissociable contribution of unconscious processing to CPS, and the facilitation effect was optimised by prime timing, the prime material, and RAT difficulty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
  Label:
  Group: Ab
  Data: <i>Copyright of Thinking & Reasoning is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=egs&AN=186774453
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1080/13546783.2024.2438418
    Languages:
      – Code: eng
        Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 24
        StartPage: 374
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Subliminal perception
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Priming (Psychology)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Cognitive psychology
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: How does unconscious processing promote creative problem-solving? An examination using priming methods.
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
    HasContributorRelationships:
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Liu, Chengzhen
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Tu, Shen
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Guan, Jinliang
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Zhou, Zhihao
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Ma, Jing
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Shi, Zifu
    IsPartOfRelationships:
      – BibEntity:
          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 08
              Text: Aug2025
              Type: published
              Y: 2025
          Identifiers:
            – Type: issn-print
              Value: 13546783
          Numbering:
            – Type: volume
              Value: 31
            – Type: issue
              Value: 3
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: Thinking & Reasoning
              Type: main
ResultId 1