The role of anticipation and expectations in insight problem solving

Abstract

The current review describes the role of anticipation and expectations in insight problem solving. According to the literature, search of an insight solution representsa directed processdetermined byboth past experience and the goal representation or the satisfactoryprogress.Two types of anticipationare identified: data-driven anticipation is based on the constraint ofpossible outcomes by performing automated processes; task-driven anticipation isbased on the formation ofa problem representation that includes an expected result.Both types of anticipation define the direction ofinsight problem solving, but at different stages. It is suggested that ac-cessibility of expectations in case of task-driven anticipation allows for conscious analysis of the representation of a target state and progress.