The cost of experience: Expertise and creative problem solving

Jennifer Wiley
University of Pittsburgh

Abstract

Experts have been seen to solve problems in their fields more effectively than novices because their well-structured, easily-activated knowledge allows for efficient search of a solution space and possibly automatic access to solution paths. But what happens when a problem requires a broad rather than deep search for solution? One possible concern is that subjects with large amount of domain knowledge may actually be at a disadvantage because their knowledge may confine them to an area of the search space where the solution does not reside. In other words, domain knowledge may act as a mental set, promoting fixation in creative problem solving attempts. A series of experiments using an adapted version of Mednick's (1962) Remote Associates Task investigates conditions under which domain knowledge may inhibit creative problem solving.