We argue that the powerful transformative effects of mystical-type experiences can be understood using the same machinery that underlies insight problem solving, and that both mystical experiences and insight are species of a genus of “realization experiences”: experiences wherein some phenomenon or piece of information becomes suddenly experienced as real or true. Specifically, we argue that...
We present a novel framework for understanding the diverse spectrum of mental breakthrough events, ranging from problem-solving insights to profound personal transformations. We propose that these events, while varied in expression and impact, share common underlying mechanisms of representational change. We also hypothesise that the differences in phenomenological intensity can be...
May 28, 2023Timo Siimon, Kadi Tulver, Kristjan Kaup et al.2 citations
preprint
The goal of the present work was to study the potential of facilitating creative insight in a real-life setting. To that end, participants were recruited who were struggling with a creative problem and had reached an impasse. Based on previous research, we hypothesized that solutions might be facilitated through virtual reality that replicates visual content experienced under the influence of...
Background: Recent research has shown promising results for the therapeutic benefits of psychedelics. One popular view claims that these benefits are mediated by the subjective experiences induced by these substances. Based on this, we designed a virtual reality experience, Psyrreal, that mimics the phenomenological components of psychedelic experiences. Aims: We aimed to investigate the...
Karl Kristjan Kaup1*, Madis Vasser1, Kadi Tulver1, Mari Munk2, Juhan Pikamäe1,3, Jaan Aru1*correcting author names or adding authors. Insert the correct version of the author list)1 Institute of Computer Science, University of Tartu, Estonia2 Psychiatry Clinic of North Estonia Medical Centre3 Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Tartu, Estonia* Correspondence:...
Occasionally, a solution or idea arrives as a sudden understanding - an insight. Insight has been considered an “extra” ingredient of creative thinking and problem-solving. Here we propose that insight is central in seemingly distinct areas of research. Drawing on literature from a variety of fields, we show that besides being commonly studied in problem-solving literature, insight is also a...