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Inertia of thinking

In one collection of logical problems, readers were presented with the following task: “An archaeologist found a coin on which it was indicated that it was made in 7 BC. e. But colleagues immediately told him that it was a fake. How did they determine it? The author himself at the end of the book said that he received letters with very different and sometimes strange answers. Some have speculated about the designs on the coins, some about the metal, others about where the coin was found. But in fact, the answer turned out to be much simpler - the inscription on the coin “BC. e." could only have been made during our era, therefore, the coin was a fake.

Why did such an obvious answer cause trouble for so many people? This approach to problem solving, which is based on previous experience or already known methods of action, is called rigidity or inertia of thinking.

The essence of the concepts of "rigidity" and "inertia" of thinking

The study of inertia and rigidity of thought has a productive and long history in the field of psychology. Systematic research on rigidity can be traced back to the Gestalt psychologists of the late 19th and early 20th century: Raymond Cattell, Els Frenkel-Brunswick, William James, Kurt Lewin, Abraham Luchins, Milton Rokesh, Charles Spearman, and Louis Thurstone made significant contributions to the study of this phenomenon. Over 100 years of systematic study of psychological rigidity has accumulated a large body of research with some clear and established results. However, disputes related to several fundamental aspects of this phenomenon remain.

What is rigidity? How is it measured? And what are the causes and correlations of resistance to change? For social psychologists, the answers to these questions are of particular importance. After all, psychologists have always been interested in behavior change. To summarize the experience of research in this area, rigidity is the resistance to any change in behavior or judgment.

Mental rigidity in psychology is understood as a process in which an individual behaves in a certain way because of previous experiences. In the field of psychology, mental sets are generally considered in the process of problem solving, with an emphasis on the process of breaking away from specific mental sets in formulating an understanding of the problem. The disruption of mental sets for successful problem solving falls into three typical stages: a) a tendency to solve a problem in a fixed way; b) unsuccessfully solving the problem using methods suggested by previous experience; c) the realization that the solution requires different methods.

No less important and interesting concept is the inertia of thinking. People often show their natural inertia in the process of mastering innovations or knowledge. They tend to follow the original, take their usual ways of thinking, and use their prior knowledge and experience to solve problems. This routine problem solving strategy is called “knowledge inertia”.

Initially, the concept of "inertia" was introduced in the field of physics and was used to describe the tendency of the movement of objects. But since the 1980s, the concept has been applied in different areas, for example, outsourcing inertia (Mol, Kotabe, 2011), inert consumer (Khan H. and Kim and E. Kim, 2011), organizational inertia (D. Kelly, Terry L Ambergay, Scott A. Snell, K. Gresov, and Heather A. Haveman et al.). In the course of numerous experiments, it was found that inertial behavior in the process of learning and knowledge sharing hinders creative thinking and directly affects the success of tasks. It is in this context that the inertia of thinking is considered.

In fact, the inertia and rigidity of thinking is a refusal to look for new ways and opportunities when solving problems or situations.

Despite a long history of studying rigidity, the phenomenon continues to attract researchers from various psychological disciplines.

The concept of rigid thinking has attracted researchers from all over the world: Africa, China, Eastern Europe, India, Japan, Mexico, Pakistan, Russia, the USA and Western Europe.

One of the most comprehensive reviews of rigidity was presented in the oft-cited Psychological Bulletin by Sheila Chown (1959) over 40 years ago. At the time, Chown stated, "Few mainstream topics in modern psychology seem to offer more perspective than rigidity, and the amount of work being done on the subject is growing every year."

Another theme noted by Chown is the difference between functional and structural approaches to rigidity, a distinction articulated in earlier papers by Kounin (1948) and Werner (1946). The structural approach considered rigidity in terms of the amount of differentiation between "mental areas". A person with well-defined and distinct areas was very conservative and rigid, and a person with less well-defined mental areas showed a lower level. On the contrary, the functional view of the phenomenon saw it not as a tool for organizing information, but as a way of using information to solve problems.

In her 1959 review, Chown noted that it was difficult to define a rigidity construct. Indeed, the term has been used to describe mental sets, attitudes, ethnocentrism, stereotypy, inflexibility, stubbornness, authoritarianism, and an inability to change habits. In her review, Choun was unable to provide a consistent definition of rigidity, partly because there was no consensus among researchers.

The concept of rigidity as a one-dimensional construct dates from the late 1800s and was later formulated by Spearman (1927), who called it "mental inertia". Until 1960, definitions of rigidity, different in form and content, were derived. As an example, Goldstein’s formulation: “insufficient performance”, Werner: “lack of response variability”, “inability to change one’s understanding of the task when objective conditions require it”, “resistance to the transition from the old to the new differentiation” can be cited.

A useful development from 1959 was Rocketach's Open and Closed Mind (1960). Summarizing a wide range of design approaches, Rocketach defined rigidity as the resistance to change in beliefs, attitudes, or personal habits. The usefulness of this definition is its multidimensional nature. Rigidity is not just the "stubbornness" of behavior in a particular task, but a division into cognitive and behavioral components.

But there is one important difference between perseveration and habit. A habit is a typical pattern of behavior, that is, a behavioral set, while rigidity is also a cognitive set that precedes a behavior. Examples of habits might include daily routines such as walking routes from work to home. Habits themselves are not rigid, it only happens when the behavioral pattern continues to face pressure.

History of the study of the effects of mental rigidity and inertia

In the process of studying this phenomenon, much attention was paid to studying the method of solving mental problems. In the traditional experiments of K. Dunker, the ability of the subjects to use familiar objects in an unusual way was studied. The task was as follows: there was a box with buttons, a candle and matches. The candle had to be fixed so that the wax would not drip onto the floor or wall (Figure 1).

In the course of the study, it turned out that most people are practically unable to separate the object and the usual function that it performs. Dunker wrote: "... inert thinking, at least in some of its parts, is an obstacle or inhibition of unusual actions."

But of particular interest in the study of this phenomenon is Lachins effect or installation effect. In the classical version of the experiment, the subjects were offered three vessels of different volumes and an infinite supply of liquid. By making real or mental manipulations with the vessels, the subject had to end up with only a certain volume of liquid in each vessel. Initially, the participants were offered a number of tasks, which could be solved only in one single way - the so-called installation tasks. Then, tasks were offered that already had two solutions, and the new solution was much easier than the previous one. Ultimately, most of the subjects solved these problems in the same way that they were accustomed to at the beginning of the test. If the experimenter was given an orientation to find a new way to solve the task, the participants spent much more time looking for a new way to solve the problem.

The revealed phenomenon attracted the attention of many researchers, who subsequently identified many factors that weaken or enhance the Lachins effect. So, the number of solved problems using only one solution option is significantly reduced if, before starting the study, the expression “Don’t be blind!” is written on the board. If the time or number of attempts is limited, which leads to increased anxiety, the effect is significantly increased.

The influence of motivation on inertia and rigidity of thinking was also established. That is, the more the subject's motivation to achieve success is expressed, the more often he will use the option that will inevitably lead him to the successful solution of the problem.

In the next series of studies, the group was given a task with riders (Figure 2).

It was necessary to arrange the cards in such a way that all riders were on horseback at the same time. The nuance of this test was in superfluous details - the twisted backs of the horses. Often, the test subjects try to place the riders on the backs of the horses perpendicularly, but you need to place them parallel to each other.

Thus, multiple studies have shown that rigidity, stereotyping, inertia of thinking are used by us, first of all, to save time and energy. Indeed, in order not to make decisions every time that concern the most petty issues, we act according to a previously outlined plan, thereby saving ourselves from constant analysis of situations. But, at the same time, "thinking laziness" often blocks or eliminates creativity, non-standard approaches to tasks.

Basic patterns and ways to overcome psychological rigidity and inertia

An analysis of the literature made it possible to derive the main effects”, which are involved in typical inert and rigid thinking.

6 main	Causes	The main manifestation of the pattern and examples	Solutions
Failure to analyze or "one-sided" consideration of the problem.	The tendency to trust only "proven" methods of solving problems, narrow-minded and low erudition, the presence of a large number of stamps and templates for performing tasks, conservatism, and low creativity.	The inability to analyze the situation with all the many interrelated factors, except for those that are perceived habitually, the difficulty in using familiar objects in an “unusual way”. Example: K. Dunker's experiment “... the subjects were given a box with buttons and a candle; the task is to attach the candle to the wall so that it is vertical and burns normally. The subjects came up with many clever ways, some of which were absolutely incredible in ingenuity and complexity. However, most of the subjects failed to guess that they needed to take the buttons out of the box, attach it to the wall, and then put the candle in it. When another group of subjects in the same experiment were first shown an empty box and buttons spilled on the table, this prompted them to the correct solution, and they found it faster. Solving problems in a familiar and convenient way, avoiding the search for new solutions to the problem. Example: “At one of the seminars on the theory of invention The following task was offered to the audience: “Let's say 300 electrons were to move in several groups from one energy level to another. But the quantum transition took place with two fewer groups, so each group included 5 more electrons. What is the number of electronic groups? This complex problem has not yet been solved.” Listeners - highly qualified engineers, declared that they did not undertake to solve this problem: - Here is quantum physics, and we are production workers. Since others failed, we certainly won’t succeed ... Then I took a collection of problems in algebra and read the text of the problem: “Several buses were ordered to send 300 pioneers to the camp, but since two buses did not arrive by the appointed time, each the bus was put on 5 pioneers more than expected. How many buses were ordered? The issue was resolved instantly."	Comprehensive analysis of the problem, search for several alternative solutions. Comparison of variables not only with personal experience, but also with the actual side of the problem. Methods for overcoming psychological inertia, identified by G. S. Altshuller and others.
Interpretation of a situation or problem based on the experience of others	Saving time and energy. People tend to trust other people's judgments about questions that they doubt or don't know the answer to. The experience of other people in successfully solving problems is transferred to their own problem or situation.	Reducing the time it takes to make a decision or form an opinion based on the experience of others in similar situations. Example: K.S. Stanislavsky about acting clichés “... So, for example, love is expressed by air and real kisses, pressing both one’s own and someone else’s hands to the heart (since it is commonly believed that a person loves with his heart), kneeling (moreover, beautiful and noble ones go down on one knee to be more picturesque, and comedians - both to be funnier), rolling their eyes up (with sublime feelings, which include love, they look up, that is, to heaven, where everything sublime is), passionate movements (often bordering on self-mutilation, since the lover should not self-control), lip biting, eye gleam, flared nostrils, gasping and passionate whispering, sharply highlighting the whistling “ssss ...” (perhaps because there are many of them in the very word “passion”), and other manifestations of animal voluptuousness or sappy sentimentality. Excitement is expressed by rapid walking back and forth, trembling of hands when opening letters, banging of a decanter on a glass and a glass on teeth when pouring and drinking water. Calmness is expressed by boredom, yawning and stretching. Joy - clapping hands, jumping, waltzing, whirling and rolling laughter, more noisy than cheerful. Grief - a black dress, a powdered face, a sad shake of the head, blowing your nose and wiping dry eyes. Mysteriousness - by applying the index finger to the lips and solemnly creeping gait.	Analysis of a problem or situation using your “feeling” to solve a problem, a departure from generally accepted standards.
Stereotypical thinking	Low interest in new information that can significantly affect the perception of situations or objects, saving time when making decisions, low cognitive interest.	Saving time and thought processes when perceiving a situation or forming an opinion, decision, attitude. Example: “In children's drawings by Spencer, the shadow of an object was always depicted in black. The young draftsman saw in his small eyelid, of course, many shadows, and since he had no predetermined opinions on this matter, and in most cases he saw the shadow approached black, his eye was unable to distinguish opposite cases. This went on until the age of eighteen. Here Spencer met with one amateur artist, who began to prove to him that the shadow is not black, but a neutral color. The young man argued, cited his own observation as evidence, but finally had to give up. Only then did his eyes clear, and he became convinced that until now the organ of vision had deceived him, reporting that the shadow was always black; he saw that it was very often colored. Some time passed, and reading a popular work on optics led him to think about the causes of colored shadows. And when, as a result of this, he had a definite conception of shadows, his eyes began to distinguish their shades very clearly. Realizing that the color of the shadow depends on the color of all surrounding objects capable of emitting rays and reflecting light, he saw very clearly that, for example, on a moonlit night, near a gas lamp, a pencil placed perpendicular to a sheet of paper will give two shadows: purple- blue and yellow-gray, produced separately by burning gas and the moon. Inability to transfer knowledge to related or other areas. Example: Microbiologists performed thousands of experiments to find ways to defeat pathogenic bacteria. But the experiments were often interfered with by mold. Wherever she appeared, the microbes immediately died. Microbiologists desperately fought mold, protected laboratory glassware from it. And only 20 years later, the English researcher Fleming came to the conclusion that the mold contains some kind of substance that destroys microbes, and it can be used to treat diseases. This is how penicillin was born.	Comprehensive consideration of a task or situation, development of thinking by solving logical problems, exercises, reformulation of tasks, development of associative thinking, non-standard use of ordinary objects or terms.
"Thought for Evaluation"	High anxiety, inadequate attitude to criticism, lack of confidence in oneself and one's abilities, inability to objectively analyze failures.	The habit of expressing and generating ideas and thoughts in strict patterns and standards for which they have previously received praise. Example: V. M. Doroshevich: “.... half of the course (of the Russian language) they dedicate most importantly to learning where to put and where not to put a letter that is not pronounced at all. The second half of the course is devoted to the study of "ancient monuments" and that period of literature that no one is interested in anymore. Everything that is alive, attractive and interesting in the "subject" is excluded. Dead compositions, instead of developing, accustoming to think, will accustom to "non-thinking". And as a result... Three quarters are not able to write in Russian in the slightest degree literary. The habit of a pattern in the realm of thought.	Work with anxiety caused by negative assessments of work or ideas, the formation of an adequate attitude to criticism.
The influence of terms and names on perception and evaluation	Analysis of the "textual" side of the problem or situation, decision-making based on the linguistic meaning of the word.	The perception of linguistic formulas and concepts has a direct impact on the further behavior of people. Example: B. Whorf “... The designation factor manifested itself first of all when we were dealing with a linguistic designation coming from a name, or with the usual description of such circumstances by means of language. So, for example, near the warehouse of the so-called gasoline drums - "gasoline tanks" - people behave accordingly, i.e. with great care; at the same time, next to a warehouse with the name empty gasoline drums - “empty gasoline tanks” - people behave differently: they are not careful enough, they smoke and even throw cigarette butts. However, these "empty" tanks can be more dangerous as they contain explosive fumes. In the presence of a really dangerous situation, linguistic analysis is guided by the word "empty", suggesting the absence of any risk. There are two different uses of the word empty; in the first case, it is used as an exact synonym for the words null, void, negative, inert (zero, empty, insignificant, inactive), and in the second case, as applied to the designation of a physical situation, without taking into account the presence of vapors, liquid drops or any other residues in a cistern or other container. Circumstances are described with the help of the second case, and people behave in these circumstances with the first case in mind. This becomes a general formula for the careless behavior of people, due to purely linguistic factors.	Analysis of the linguistic side of the problem with minimal use of "rooted" verbal patterns.
Complicating problem solving	An attempt to stand out and “move away from patterns”, to do “not like everyone else”, often arises from demonstrative behavior, a desire to be in the spotlight.	Despite the fact that in most cases the inertia and rigidity of thinking is manifested in the simplification of solving situations and following patterns, the stereotype of “doing not like everyone else” occupies the same strong place in the minds of many people. Example: “... Abraham Luchins, starting in 1942, used a technique known from various intellectual tests: the subject is told that he has at his disposal three vessels of various capacities and an unlimited amount of water; then it is proposed, by manipulating these vessels (on paper or in reality), to measure a strictly defined amount of water. The "Lachins effect" was achieved in the following way: the subjects were given an installation series of five tasks, which could be solved in only one and very difficult way. Then they were presented with problems that had two solutions - obvious and difficult. It turned out that most of the subjects are trying to solve new and simple tasks in a complex (!) way... The effect is enhanced under the influence of stress factors (anxiety, a hard time limit, etc.), and does not depend on the level of intelligence of the subject.”	Options for solving a problem should carry the right load from the side of practical application, and not just differentiating them from other, simpler methods.

The presented table is compiled on the basis of literature worked out by I. L. Vikentiev.

4 of the 6 patterns above were once described by F. Bacon (1561-1626) - the so-called errors of thinking. “Stereotypic thinking” - idols of the cave, “Influence of terms and names on perception and evaluation” - idols of the square, “Inability to analyze or “one-sided” consideration of the problem” - idols of the family, “Stereotypic thinking” - idols of the theater.

The problem is presented in the first approximation, and the table does not yet contain an exhaustive number of examples and patterns that completely build a model of this complex phenomenon, which once again confirms the sharpness and promise of studying the topic of inertia of thinking. Therefore, for a complete understanding of the phenomenon, a more detailed and in-depth generalization of the problem is necessary by analyzing the literature (search for examples), which, unfortunately, is not presented in our table in full.

Thus, when analyzing the table, it is worth understanding that the inertia of thinking often closes the way for new inventions, approaches, ideas. Creativity and creation can be equated to zero if a person is closed to new information and thinks solely "for his own convenience."

When explaining the concepts of rigidity and inertia, the example of Aristotle is often cited. Once in one of his treatises, he wrote that the fly has 8 legs. This opinion was held for centuries, until someone decided to count them. There were 6 of them.

Bibliography:

1. Secrets of thinking: popular psychology, M., "My World", 2005
2. Stanislavsky K.S., On various trends in theatrical art / My civil service to Russia. Memories. Articles. Essays. Speeches. Conversations. From notebooks, M., Pravda, 1990
3. Doroshevich V. M., Russian language / Doroshevich V. M., Anthology of satire and humor of Russia of the XX century, Volume 48, M., Eksmo, 2006
4. Mikhailovsky N. K., What is progress? / Selected works on sociology in 2 volumes, Volume 1, St. Petersburg, "Aletheia", 1998
5. Benjamin Whorf, Language and thinking, in Sat: Psychology of thinking / Ed. Yu.B. Gippenreiter and others, M., "Ast"; Astrel, 2008
6. Altshuller G. S., Invention algorithm, Moscow, Moscow Worker, 1969
7. Galperin P. Ya., Danilova V. L. Education of systematic thinking in the process of solving small creative problems // Vopr. psychol. 1980. No. 1. S. 31-38.
8. DunkerTO. Psychology of productive (creative) thinking // Psychology of thinking: Sat. translations with him. and English. / Ed. A.M. Matyushkin. M.: Progress, 1965. S. 199-221.
9. Mayer N. On one aspect of human thinking // Psychology of thinking: Sat. translations with him. and English. / Ed. A.M. Matyushkin. M.: Progress, 1965. S. 300-314.
10. Ponomarev Ya. A. Psychology of creativity and pedagogy. M., 1976. 279 p.
11. Cowen E. L. The influence of varying degrees of psychological stress on problem-solving rigidity // J. of Abn. and Soc. Psychol. 1952. N. 47. P. 512-529.
12. LuchinsA.S. Mechanization in prblem-solving // Psychol. Mongr. 1942. V. 54. No. 6 (248).
13. LuchinsA.S., Luchins E.N. Rigidity of behavior. Eugene, Oregon, 1959.
14 LuchinsA.S., Luchins E.H. Wertheimer's seminars revisited. Problem-solving and thinking. V. 3. Albany, 1970. 439 p.
15 MaltzmanI., Fox J., Morriset L. Jr. Some effects of manifest anxiety on mental set // J. Exp. Psychol. 1953. N. 46. P. 50-54.
16. Rees H., IsraelH. An investigation of the establishment and operation of mental sets // Psychol. Mongr. 1935. V. 46. No. 6 (210). Vande Geer I.P. A psychological study of problem-solving. Ch. III. Haarlem, 1957. 214 p.
17. Vikentiev I. L. Inertia of thinking according to G.S. Altshuller // http://vikent.ru/enc/691
18. Vikentiev I. L. Thinking errors according to Francis Bacon // http://vikent.ru/enc/692
19. Vikentiev I. L. 57 materials on the topic of inertia, rigidity of thinking // http://vikent.ru/enc-list/category/139

Editor: Chekardina Elizaveta Yurievna

It consists in the isolation of thinking on the existing system, the unwillingness to get away from current ideas and beliefs.

The inertia of thinking is useful and necessary in everyday life. It frees one from having to decide what has already been decided.

At the same time, this is the main obstacle to the discovery of new things.

Often the inertia of thinking is characteristic not so much for people who are far from discoveries, but for those who make these discoveries.

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I am an inventor! 60 creative tasks to learn to think outside the box, Lilia Lukonkova, Elena Matveeva. 3 features: - A joint project with the MAYAK School of Development - You can learn non-standard thinking from childhood - 60 exciting tasks for future inventors Description of the book Invention can be ...

7. METHODS OF DEVELOPMENT OF THE PERSON AND THE COLLECTIVE

7.1. Methods for developing creative imagination 1 .

The existing system of development of creative imagination in TRIZ is a set of fantasizing techniques and special methods.

7.1.1. The concept of psychological inertia

Starting to solve a new problem, we involuntarily try to apply solutions, methods or concepts already known to us. This "helpful" memory suggests the paths we used earlier, that is, it forces us to follow the "beaten path". It is this phenomenon that is called psychological inertia.

There are a lot of reasons for the appearance of psychological inertia, we will describe some of them:

The use of special terms
Spatio-temporal representations of an object,
System of values,
Traditions (professional, corporate, national, territorial, etc.).

One of the reasons for the appearance of psychological inertia is use of familiar terms given in the conditions of the problem. We think in terms, and terms imperceptibly "push" us in the direction of already known solutions. Considering, for example, the problem of moving an icebreaker through ice, we already involuntarily imagine a certain "technology" for moving through ice. "Ledo count "- it means that the ice must be broken. Although it may be better to cut, saw, blow up or move under the ice, over the ice or through the ice?

Psychological inertia appears with the use of habitual spatiotemporal representations, which is associated with a particular object or process. The size of the object and the duration of its action are either directly indicated in the conditions of the problem, or implied by themselves.

Value ideas about things and concepts ( system of values) impose their worldview on them, which prevents them from being seen in a different light.

A great influence on the style of our life, on fashion, on the methods of cooking, on the appearance and content of the objects around us, on the style of work and thinking has tradition.

The use of methods for the development of creative imagination allows you to control psychological inertia.

There are various ways to overcome psychological inertia. Thus, J. Dixon 2 states that "she is relatively easy to deal with, just remember her!"The gradual reduction of psychological barriers is also carried out thanks to the systematic development of creative imagination with the help of special exercises and reading science fiction literature.

As such methods for training the imagination, some methods of activating the creative process can be used, for example, such as: brainstorming, morphological analysis and the method of focal objects. To begin with, we can recommend using these methods to come up with fantastic animals, inhabitants of some other planets, etc. Then you can move on to more real objects, but do not be afraid to fantasize more. Gradual studies will help you not to be afraid of any, even seemingly ridiculous or crazy ideas, and look for a rational grain in them. Such a path can lead you to a new application of certain things, concepts and to their broader interpretation. Systematic classes of this kind will teach you to consider objects, processes and concepts from the most diverse angles ...

Psychological inertia

Psychological inertia is a property of a person to think by direct analogy.

The inertia of thinking is one of the properties of the human psyche, which is expressed in the fact that the consciousness, the mind of a person often obeys the force of habit. Under its influence, when thinking about problems, ideas that are similar to already known ones first come to a person’s head. But usually old ideas are not suitable for new conditions, just as a steam engine is not suitable for a modern car. That is why this property of the psyche is called “inertia”, because it slows down the emergence of new ideas and solutions.

Psychological inertia has its pros and cons. The advantage of inertia is that it allows a person to perform habitual actions without thinking, automatically, without wasting time on “reinventing the wheel”. The lack of inertia of thinking is that it forces a person to act in a standard way and in non-standard situations.

Where does it come from?

When steam engines appeared, the inventors very quickly realized that they could be used to increase the speed of transport. But in the first steam locomotives, the engine set mechanical legs in motion, similar to the legs of a horse. And in the first cars, the driver sat on the box, like a coachman in a carriage.

This is the inertia of the usual principle of action, the usual appearance

SIMPLE PROBLEM

2 coins add up to 15 kopecks,

and one of them is not a penny.

What are these coins?

Most of those who solve this problem for the first time automatically exclude a nickel from all possible options. But after all, the problem says only about one coin, that it is not a nickel. The second coin may well be a nickel.

Answer: 5 kopecks and 10 kopecks

This is the inertia of a non-existent ban

There are many other types of inertia that interfere strongly, but we will discuss them in detail in the next books in this series.

We will learn to deal with psychological inertia. But this is not enough to effectively solve the problems that are coming at us from all sides. Living conditions are constantly changing, the requirements for a person are growing. Your intellect needs training, development ... Otherwise, more resourceful colleagues will overtake you.

How to develop intelligence? Exercise…

CUTTING PROBLEM

How to cut a round cheese in 3 cuts into 8 equal pieces?

Is it embarrassing? Okay, let's leave this problem for now, we'll come back to it later.

Let's look at something more advanced.

How to place 3 more packs on the same floor on a pack of cigarettes?

This task is practically not difficult: you need to put all three packs vertically.

MATCH PROBLEM

How to make four identical triangles from six identical matches?

No matter how you shift the matches on the plane, four triangles do not work. Only remembering the existence of the third dimension, you can get the right answer.

Pay attention: what technique did we use to solve these problems? Transition to the third dimension. Try the same technique for solving the problem of cutting a round cheese.

One technique has already come into your field of vision.

There are many very interesting techniques for the development of intelligence. We will get to know them in the next books in this series.

But our goal is not only the development of intellectual abilities with the help of various exercises, but also the generation of ideas, i.e. inventing new or changing known ideas. There are a number of techniques for coming up with ideas, and also a technique for resolving the contradictions that inevitably arise when trying to introduce new ideas into old conditions.

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From the book Psychological Stress: Development and Overcoming author Bodrov Vyacheslav Alekseevich

Mental Preparation It's also important to prepare mentally by reminding yourself what you're most looking forward to when you give a speech, give a presentation, speak in a meeting, or talk to someone. If you have prepared well in advance, then it means that you have given

From the author's book

Psychological preparation The purpose of psychological preparation is to help you cope with your nerves. Many people get anxious when they think about an upcoming performance in front of an audience. Distinguish: Positive Excitement That Raises Adrenaline Levels

One of the barriers that seriously impede the solution of creative (for example, inventive, scientific) problems is the inertia of thinking of the decisive one.

EXAMPLE.“At one of the seminars on the theory of invention, the following task was proposed to the audience:

"Let's say 300 electrons had to move in several groups from one energy level to another. But the quantum transition took place with two fewer groups, so each group included 5 more electrons. What is the number of electronic groups? This complex problem has not yet been solved.” Listeners - highly qualified engineers - stated that they did not undertake to solve this problem:

There is quantum physics, and we are production workers. If others failed, we certainly will not succeed ...

Then I took a collection of problems in algebra and read the text of the problem: “To send 300 pioneers, several buses were ordered to the camp, but since two buses did not arrive by the appointed time, each bus was put on 5 more pioneers than expected. How many buses were ordered?

The issue was resolved instantly."

Altshuller G.S., Invention algorithm, M., "Moscow worker", 1969, p. 195.

Perhaps this is the most common mistake when setting a task. To achieve some result, the inventor is oriented towards the creation of a new machine (process, mechanism, device, etc.). Outwardly, this looks logical. There is a machine, say Mi, which produces a result Pi. Now we need to get the result of P2, and, therefore, we need the machine M2. Usually P2 is greater than P1, so it seems obvious that M2 is greater than M1.

From the point of view of formal logic, everything is correct here. But the logic of the development of technology is dialectical logic. To obtain, for example, a double result, it is not at all necessary to use double means.

Altshuller G.S., Invention algorithm, M., "Moscow worker", 1969, p. 54-56.

There are various methods of overcoming the inertia of thinking. One of the methods widely used in TRIZ when solving inventive problems - the correct wording

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