What is the Eureka Effect
Most of the greatest scientific ideas that have transcended history appeared to the investors unexpectedly. A perfect example is that of Isaac Newton, who, while resting under a tree in the cool of the day, was abruptly hit by a falling fruit, and it is at that moment that he discovered the theory of gravity. Even though the story appears to be fictional, it is a demonstration of how Isaac Newtown invented the laws of gravity. Another similar experience is that of Archimedes, a mathematician who, while having a bath, instantly noticed that the volume of displaced water each time he entered the tab equaled that of the section of his submerged body. Immediately after his discovery, Archimedes is said to have shouted eureka, which means “I have found it”.
The same theory occurs in the real world, where people feel as though they have been struck on the head suddenly by ideas after long periods of deep thought. This occurrence is known as the Eureka effect or the Aha! The moment when humans instantaneously understand a concept or issue that was previously unintelligible through a process known as insight learning (Handwerk, 2018). According to some scholars, the Eureka moment can be categorized as a memory advantage crucial in cognitive breakthroughs. However, there are conflicting ideas in explaining the location of the brain the phenomenon occurs. Moreover, it is impossible to predict situations that can trigger the effect.
The Eureka effect can also be referred to as epiphany or insight which psychologically describes a moment in the problem-solving process where a mystery that had been impossible to uncover is suddenly revealed. In most instances, the transformation from a state of not understanding a concept to the sudden comprehension of the same is usually characterized by satisfaction and joy leading to an Aha! Moment (Laukkonen et al., 2020). It is important to note that an individual using insight to address issues has the capability of giving discrete and accurate reactions. Contrarily, people who are unable to incorporate epiphany are more likely to provide imprecise and incomplete reactions.
Theoretical explanations of the phenomenon indicate suggest that the Eureka moment occurs in four phases. First, the moment of insight appears abruptly and secondly followed by a solution to an issue that is processed quietly. Third, the experience triggers a positive effect before the individual confirms that the discovery is indeed a perfect solution (Newman, 2017). The four characteristics of the Eureka moment are to be viewed as a unit because the experience is a process that induces judgment and a positive effect at the same time.
Moreover, an epiphany can be understood as a process that occurs in two main phases. The first stage of the Eureka effect demands that the problem solver encounters a deadlock and becomes stuck and even though they might have explored several alternatives to handling the issue, they still cannot get a solution (Newman, 2017). Consequently, the second sage happens suddenly and instantaneously where a meaningful response is identified after the problem has been re-evaluated. However, it is important to note that insight challenges are difficult to address due to human’s mental fixation on less important elements of the problem at hand. Consequently, to successfully respond to intuitive issues an individual has to think intelligently to experience a break in mental fixation.
Learning Situations that Apply the Eureka Effect
Consequently, the Eureka effect can be applied in different learning situations in connection with the four epiphany characteristic and the two phases of the process. The first common situation that everyone encounters as a result of a eureka moment is gaining more understanding of a subject from insights (Newman, 2018). There are situations where people fail to understand a concept not because they lack the thinking ability to do so but because they have too little information. For example, it is always difficult to understand why friends or colleagues behave in a particular manner until one closely interacts with their families. Applying the four stages of the Eureka effect, the preparation phase is where an individual has tried to understand why her lady friend always covers her head, but she has come to a standstill.
In the second stage, she gives for a little while because she’s tried asking other colleagues but to no avail. However, when she is invited for dinner at her friend’s place, the third and the main insight stage occurs as she discovers they are Muslims. Finally, she verifies the epiphany by researching on the internet and confirming that ladies in the Islamic religion are encouraged to cover their heads. The understanding that there is a correlation between covering the head and religion was the moment of insight.
Another learning situation that is always successful as a result of a eureka moment is the accomplishment of tasks through epiphany. It is necessary to understand that the idea of discovery by insight is connected to cognitive learning where animals use intuition to make decisions in their activities (Santarnecchi et al., 2019). A perfect example is that of a student who manages to solve a complex algebraic equation they have never done before through insight and reference to previously learned math skills. The rules of mathematics are addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division, and the eureka moment makes a person realize that any math problem can be solved using the four concepts.
The preparation and incubation phases of insight learning occur when the student has made numerous attempts to solve the equation. However, when they realize that division can help allocate a number to a letter, an epiphany occurs (Santarnecchi et al., 2019). Finally, the scholar verifies the positive effect of the eureka moment by submitting the answer and getting it right. There are other similar examples such as using a table or chair to climb up to paint the ceiling. As simple as the experiences may seem, they are moments of discovery accompanied by satisfaction.
The third and final learning situation that benefits from the processes in the eureka moment is the random and simple science-related discoveries at home. There are different tricks people use in life that they were neither taught in school nor by their close ones but through intuition (Sprugnoli et al., 2017). For instance, it is normal for a bathtub or a kitchen sink to be clogged over time to the accumulation of dirt. The first thought that always comes to mind is contacting a plumber to come and unclog the drainage systems. However, there are times when the expert is not reachable or takes longer than expected to come and address the problem. The moment when an individual begins to think of different ways to unblock the kitchen sink is the preparation phase. When they give up for a moment, yet their brains are still engaged they are in the incubation phase of insight learning.
Finally, the idea of using hot water to unclog the drainage system comes to mind and this is the Eureka effect. The verification phase of the insight learning occurs when the individual confirms that the kitchen sink and the bath tab are functioning normally (Wheatley, 2018). There are several instances when people encountered an impasse not necessarily in a home environment but instantly thought of an idea that solved their problems. The application of the eureka moment in learning does not need to be accompanied by great scientific discoveries. Simple solutions that improve people’s activities are a result of the Aha! Moment.
The Eureka Effect and Gestalt’s Theory of Insight Learning
The Gestalt theory is one of the ideologies that builds on the Eureka effect in substantiating the application of insight in various learning. Although there are various definitions of learning depending on theories developed by different scholars, learning can simply be referred to as the process of changing human behavior. Learning by insight originated from Gestalt theorists, a group of German psychologists who categorized various characteristics of visual perception as universal (Coudray, 2020). Consequently, the Gestalt ideology that everything people behold result from dark and light elements, contours, and edges that collectively comprise a single image. This group of psychologists came up with the sensual approach to learning as a means of opposing behavioral theories. According to Gestalt, the learning process is not just a habit people form through stimulus responses but a deliberate effort from individuals (Coudray, 2020). Moreover, the theorists also indicate that learning does not occur through trial and error but as a result of exploration and creativity.
Furthermore, the Gestalt theory suggests that there is a difference between the whole and some of its constituent parts. As a result, psychologists developed the laws of perceptual organization that illustrate how smaller components lead to the formation of larger ones. Consequently, with reference to thinking and learning, the Gestalt ideology demonstrates that the brain functions as a unit and that it has the mechanism of self-organizing the different components. Therefore, when people look at objects they see complete figures and not a group of shapes, curves, and lines. For instance when one looks at a tree, what they see is the overall object and their focus is not on constituent parts such as branches and fruits. The individual parts of an image are second although they are visible.
Compared to conditioning, insight learning works well for intelligent animals and humans through observation and perception of the surrounding situations. Consequently, when an individual encounters a problem, they look and think about the entire situation while trying to identify solutions (Morin, 2016). The person evaluates possible methods and clues that can be applied in influencing the results of her actions and then instantly finds an answer to the issue after a period of reasoning. Nonetheless, it is important to note that the holistic view of the challenging situation must be recognized by the individual who then sees the need to solve the problem. According to the Gestalt theory, learning by insight focuses on an individual as a whole, and the success of the process depends on the interaction between the person and the surrounding environment (Morin, 2016). It is the relationship that induces new ideas, perceptions, and imaginations that comprise an epiphany.
Consequently, the Gestalt theory categorizes learning by insight into seven distinct steps. The first stage is the identification of the issue where the learner realizes there is an obstacle to accomplishing their goals. The second phase is the evaluation of the challenging situation and here the individual observes the features of the problem (Stevenson, n.d.). Additionally, she attempts to relate the issue blocking her accomplishments and the specific goal. The third step involves the comparison and the establishment of connections between the current state and previous relatable situations.
The fourth stage is where the learner attempts various approaches in response to the situation through trial and era. This is followed by the fifth step where the individual experiences sustained attention on her goals and motivation. The sixth phase is the introduction of cause-effect reasoning to establish the relationship between probable actions toward the situation and the impacts of each move (Stevenson, n.d.). It is at this stage that the learner settles on the insightful solutions after comparing her options. Finally, the individual puts her decision into practice in situations with similar characteristics.
Thorndike’s Trial and Error Theory
Trial and Error learning is a subset of behavioral theories that are the exact opposite of Gestalt’s sensual ideas. Thorndike was an American scholar who made significant contributions to the development of educational psychology (Mohr et al., 2018). Some of his ideologies such as the stimulus-response theory have always been in conflict with Gestalt views. To substantiate his interpretations of learning through trial and error, Thorndike performed a scientific experiment by placing a hungry cat in a puzzle box and fish in front of it but outside the container.
The design of the box allowed for the door to be opened by placing a little pressure on a lever within the cage. Consequently, when the cat saw food outside, it made numerous attempts to reach the fish. Accidentally, it stepped on the lever, the door was opened, and it rushed out to eat the fish. Thorndike conducted the same experiment again the following day but the cat took a shorter time to open the door and the same happened with subsequent trials (Handel, 2017). At the end of the investigation, the pet was in a position of opening the door as soon as it was locked inside a cage.
From the experiment, the presence of a reward in the form of freedom was a crucial factor in establishing the link between stimulus and response. It was through trial and error that the cat was able to realize that the lever was on its way out. However, hunger and the presence of a fish outside the box played a role in motivating it to experiment in various ways until it realized the trick. Therefore, it is essential to note that even though the goal is reached accidentally, the activities in the trial and error approach are not entirely random (Badenhorst & van der Merwe, 2016). The perceived irregular attempts are induced by the situation which guides the learner to respond accordingly.
The trial and error approach has a connection with the stimulus-response theory. Consequently, for the method to be successful, there are several conditions that have to be met (Gaillard & Devine, 2020). First, the learner has to be ready psychologically and this can be achieved by introducing a motivating factor such as the fish in Thorndike’s experiment (Shrestha, 2017). Secondly, the individual has to repeat the exercise of trial and error to create a stronger bond that will lead to better results. This approach to learning is based on the ideology that several attempts will lead to a reward in the end.
Relevance of Insight Learning and Trial And Error in the Caribbean Education
They discussed learning theories both have different strengths and weaknesses regarding their application. However, if used well they have the potential of improving students’ overall learning experiences. Some of the common educational challenges in the Caribbean schools include underperformance, repetition of grade levels, high levels of dropouts, and harmonization of an effective curriculum (George, n.d.). All these issues can be solved with the successful implementation of the two theories in the country’s educational strategies.
For instance, the Gestalt theory of insight learning influenced by the Eureka effect is instrumental in establishing a goal-oriented curriculum. Education is not only about attending classes and mastering theoretical concepts. There are other components such as social aspects, physical exercises, and life skills that need to be addressed. Learning through insight ensures that students in the Caribbean access quality education which focuses on specific life elements. Similarly, the ideology helps in the organization of various subjects and learning resources as a whole (Veine et al., 2019). The learning process is not to be associated with a specific skill or field but has to encompass separate behavioral acts and isolated facts. Consequently, the Gestalt theory will help improve the scheme of studies, teaching of skills, and general organization of the curriculum.
Similarly, Thorndike’s trial and error approach to learning will have a significant impact on the Caribbean education system. The three basic laws of the theory which include readiness, exercise, and effect focus on the importance of motivation, practice, and rewards or punishments in achieving learning objectives (Metcalfe, 2017). Consequently, the method will be instrumental in developing ways to motivate students not to drop out of school by introducing rewards (Sweeney & George, 2019). For instance, giving books to students who complete their semesters or education-related trips will encourage learners to attend classes regularly. The trial and error approach will also improve the country’s curriculum by introducing teaching plans that focus on the regular practice until the student is well-conversant with the taught ideas.
Learning is a process, and as such, it is imperative to use methods that will improve the effectiveness of the outcomes. Eureka moment, also referred to as insight, is an approach to learning that has been proven to be successful by elements of the Gestalt theory. Since it focuses on experiences and intelligence, it is a more practical approach to solving learning problems. The trial and error method, on the other hand, is based on the stimulus-response theory, where learning is influenced by repetitive attempts to earn a reward. Although both theories have limitations that can be applied in different ways to improve the education system in the Caribbean.
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