Active Vs Passive Incubation: Which Method Leads to Eureka Moment in Non-Routine Problem Solving?

Abstract

This study looked at how students' Eureka experiences and performance in solving non-routine mathematical problems were affected by both active and passive incubation. It investigated whether doing a cognitively stimulating task (active incubation) or resting without mental engagement (passive incubation) affects problem-solving outcomes. It was based on Wallas's (1926) four-stage model of creativity and the unconscious work hypothesis. 43 purposefully chosen special science high school students participated in the study, which used a quantitative descriptive–comparative design. They worked through non-routine math tasks over the course of two sessions, separated by an incubation period. The instruments were determined to be dependable after being properly validated and pilot tested. The Kruskal–Wallis H test, Spearman's rho correlation, and descriptive statistics were used to examine the data. The findings showed that students who were actively incubated outperformed those who were passively incubated, though differences were not statistically significant. The Eureka experience also showed no significant correlation with performance. The findings highlight the complex role of incubation and insight in problem solving and suggest incorporating structured incubation and metacognitive strategies in mathematics instruction.