Fetching a Problem's Solution from a Computer Does Not Lead to an Impoverished Affective Footprint
Year: 2026
Type: preprint
Abstract: Problem solving relies on purely internal processing (IP) or extended processing (EP) which additionally draws on external resources like computerized equipment. IP can initially cause negative affect due to effort or cognitive conflict, followed by positive affect after success. Such affective dynamics matter as they influence learning, well-being, and cognitive control. Yet, little is known about affect in EP, which this study examined. Participants solved alpha-numeric problems (is “D+4=I” correct?). IP required mentally counting up letters from “D”, while EP involved revealing the correct answer (“H”) by hovering a cursor over a box. Affect was measured using affective priming (Experiment 1), facial muscle activity (Experiment 2), and explicit ratings. We hypothesized that IP produces more negative affect during problem solving but more positive affect afterwards compared to EP. Results provided little support for such a general claim. Affective priming suggests that IP-related operations like matching men-tal representations to sensory input can indeed cause positive affect, which can however also be part of EP. Facial muscle data indicated broadly comparable affective dynamics between IP and EP. These results add an affective spin to the cognitive impartiality hypotheses (Clark 2011), which suggests that neither IP nor EP is privileged by problem solvers.
Language: English
Subfield: Cognitive Neuroscience
Field: Neuroscience
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7213529875