title: Cognitive Architecture with Evolutionary Dynamics Solves Insight Problem.
abstract: In this paper, we show that a neurally implemented a cognitive architecture with evolutionary dynamics can solve the four-tree problem. Our model, called Darwinian Neurodynamics, assumes that the unconscious mechanism of problem solving during insight tasks is a Darwinian process. It is based on the evolution of patterns that represent candidate solutions to a problem, and are stored and reproduced by a population of attractor networks. In our first experiment, we used human data as a benchmark and showed that the model behaves comparably to humans: it shows an improvement in performance if it is pretrained and primed appropriately, just like human participants in Kershaw et al. (2013)'s experiment. In the second experiment, we further investigated the effects of pretraining and priming in a two-by-two design and found a beginner's luck type of effect: solution rate was highest in the condition that was primed, but not pretrained with patterns relevant for the task. In the third experiment, we showed that deficits in computational capacity and learning abilities decreased the performance of the model, as expected. We conclude that Darwinian Neurodynamics is a promising model of human problem solving that deserves further investigation.
authors.affiliation: Parmenides Center for the Study of Thinking, Parmenides FoundationPullach am Isartal, Germany; MTA-ELTE Theoretical Biology and Evolutionary Ecology Research GroupBudapest, Hungary; Institute of Advanced Studies Kőszeg (iASK)Kőszeg, Hungary.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fedor
authors.affiliation: Institute of Advanced Studies Kőszeg (iASK)Kőszeg, Hungary; Department of Plant Systematics, Ecology and Theoretical Biology, Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE)Budapest, Hungary.
authors.forename: István
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Zachar
authors.affiliation: MTA-ELTE Theoretical Biology and Evolutionary Ecology Research GroupBudapest, Hungary; Institute of Advanced Studies Kőszeg (iASK)Kőszeg, Hungary.
authors.forename: András
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Szilágyi
authors.affiliation: Parmenides Center for the Study of Thinking, Parmenides Foundation Pullach am Isartal, Germany.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Öllinger
authors.affiliation: Institute of Advanced Studies Kőszeg (iASK)Kőszeg, Hungary; Center for the Conceptual Foundations of Science, Parmenides FoundationPullach am Isartal, Germany.
authors.forename: Harold P
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: de Vladar
authors.affiliation: Institute of Advanced Studies Kőszeg (iASK)Kőszeg, Hungary; Department of Plant Systematics, Ecology and Theoretical Biology, Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE)Budapest, Hungary.
authors.forename: Eörs
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Szathmáry
keywords: Darwinian Neurodynamics; attractor networks; evolutionary search; four-tree problem; insight