Physics and Astronomy
4 years ago

Unlocking the Secrets of Efficient Problem Solving Through Word Associations

PLoS ONE
Analysis of English free association network reveals mechanisms of efficient solution of Remote Association Tests
Olga Valba, A. Gorsky, Sergei Nechaev, M. Tamm

Paper Summary

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The structure of how words are connected in the English language can help us understand how people solve word association puzzles. Easy puzzles are solved by strong connections between words, while harder puzzles are solved by weaker connections. This means that when we solve puzzles, we tend to rely on the most direct connections between words for easy puzzles, and on slightly weaker connections for harder puzzles. This research shows that the way words are linked in our minds can affect how we solve these puzzles.