Although there has been consistent research on the beneficial effect of breaks, or incubation periods, during creative problem-solving tasks, empirical research is limited on the potential moderators of these incubation effects. Incubation effects are said to occur when setting aside a challenging problem for a period of time before returning to it later resulting in greater solution rates compared to uninterrupted work. This research tests whether the use of active aerobic exercise during breaks may enhance incubation effects using the Remote Associates Test (or RAT). Participants were initially asked to complete a block of RAT problems (e.g., car, shoe, french; solution: horn). After completion of the RAT problems, participants were randomly assigned to either one of two incubation groups that consisted of either following along to an exercise video (Incubation + Exercise) or passively watching the video (Incubation no Exercise), or to a control group with no incubation period. Next, all groups got a second attempt at the RAT problems in which they were shown previously unsolved problems from the first block. Results indicate that incubation periods led to greater improvement on the second block overall (compared to control), but that active exercise did not amplify the incubation effects of the study. The results replicate prior work on incubation effects in creative problem-solving and suggest further avenues for research regarding the use of physical exercise as a potential way to help alleviate mental fixation.
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