mindset

//Creating the right mindset for problem solving, and possibly learning, is clearly important. Kalina appears to have established a method for altering modes of thought from concrete thought - using fact driven reasoning - to the highly abstract mode of thought. She accomplishes this transition by creating simple cues to transform the subjects from 'concrete' to 'abstract' by simply labelling the intended thought required onto the cards used, followed by a test of the subjects intelligence. Therefore, modes of thought can be 'propagated'.//

The prefrontal cortex (PFC) plays a crucial role in cognitive control and higher mental functions by maintaining working memory representations of currently relevant information, thereby inducing a **mindset** that facilitates the processing of such information.

Subjects solved anagrams grouped into three kinds of blocks (**concrete, moderately abstract, and highly abstract**) according to the degree of abstraction of their solutions. **Mindsets** were induced by **cuing** subjects **at the beginning of every block as to the degree of abstraction of solutions they should look for**. Different levels of abstraction were matched for accuracy and reaction time, allowing us to examine the effects of varying abstraction in the absence of variations in cognitive complexity. **Mindsets for** concrete, moderately abstract, and **highly abstract information** were associated with stronger relative recruitment of ventrolateral, dorsolateral, and **rostrolateral PFC** regions, respectively, suggesting a functional topography whereby increasingly anterior regions are preferentially associated with representations of increasing abstraction.

//[// Kalina Christoff, Kamyar Keramatian, Alan M. Gordon, Rachelle Smith, Burkhard Mädler - //2009]// //[]//

//Further items that may be of interest to the casual reader were://

**Relational reasoning (a component of fluid intelligence** - Horn and Cattell (1966)) uses the lateral prefrontal cortex (PFC) as well as the parietal cortex. However, the rostrolateral prefrontal cortex (RLPFC) activates when a relational integration is required. This appears to begin to develop in children aged 8 – 12. //[Crone et al 2009]//

Indeed, one of the most intriguing neuroscientific findings of the past decade has been the observation that certain regions of the brain become increasingly recruited with decreasing external task demands. This group of brain regions has collectively been termed the ‘‘**default network’’** (1–3), and includes, most prominently, the medial **prefrontal cortex (PFC), posterior cingulate cortex/precuneus region**, and the **temporoparietal junction.**


 * Executive brain regions**, most notably the **dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (ACC)** and the **dorsolateral PFC (DLPFC),** become consistently activated when individuals engage in demanding mental activity.

Finally, there is accumulating evidence that individuals fluctuate in their explicit awareness of the contents of their own thought, a phenomenon termed meta-awareness or metaconsciousness A key finding was that mind wandering was associated with recruitment of medial PFC, posterior cingulate/precuneus, and posterior temporoparietal cortex, regions that form the core of the default network (1–3). This finding is consistent with prior theorizing about the functions of the default network (2, 3), and with neuroimaging studies (6–8) that varied task demands to explore the link between default network functions and the mind wandering process. Also, the results demonstrate that mind wandering entails recruitment of the executive system of the brain, a finding predicted by behavioral theories of off-task thought. Finally, individuals’ self-reports of whether or not they were aware of their mind wandering indicated that brain recruitment associated with off-task thinking is most pronounced in the absence of meta-awareness. //[Christoff 2009]//

On the other hand, if such tasks were defined in terms of their level of cognitive complexity, selectivity of RLPFC activation would be relatively high. [It] has been defined in various ways, including the level of embedding in a goal–subgoal hierarchy during problem solving [6], the number of relations being simultaneously processed during reasoning [7] , or the number of items held in working memory [8]. Reviews of RLPFC recruitment across multiple domains [2,9] show that activations are more frequent when the complexity of cognitive processing is high than when it is relatively low. …cognitive processes such as relational integration [7], the evaluation of self-generated information [4] , or subgoal processing [5,10] are theorized at the highest levels of cognitive complexity.

…In summary, brain regions differ not only in their overall selectivity of response, but also in terms of the specific task characteristics they are selective to.

…a number of other questions emerge: Are there other brain regions that show selectivity to the level of task complexity but lack selectivity to task domain? **How can we compare levels of cognitive complexity across different cognitive domains?** What other task characteristics, in addition to complexity and domain, might be relevant in determining the selectivity of brain regions? Clearly, much remains to be resolved. //[Christoff 2006]//

Consistent with the literature on executive function and long-term memory mechanisms, our results indicate separate components of the experience of mind-wandering, and suggest a separation between the //spontaneous generation// of spontaneous thoughts, on the one hand, and the //conscious experience// of these thoughts, on the other. This distinction has been outlined at the behavioral level by Schooler (2002) in terms of thought processes that can be referred to as “tuning out” (mind-wandering with awareness) and “zoning out” (mind-wandering without awareness). Here we present results suggesting that this distinction holds validity at the neural level as well. Thought processes that occur without our awareness appear to be associated with temporal lobes structures, while awareness elicits prefrontal recruitment. //[Smith 2006]//

//There is much more available at Kalina Christoff labs -//

[|//http://www.christofflab.ca/publications///]