creators_name: Fields, Chris creators_id: fieldsres@gmail.com type: preprint datestamp: 2010-08-06 11:22:10 lastmod: 2011-03-11 08:57:39 metadata_visibility: no_search title: From “Oh, OK” to “Ah, yes” to “Aha!”: Hyper-systemizing and the rewards of insight subjects: cog-psy subjects: neuro-psy full_text_status: public keywords: Systemizing, Mentalizing, Development, Addiction, Insight, Default network, Analogy abstract: Hyper-systemizers are individuals displaying an unusually strong bias toward systemizing, i.e. toward explaining events and solving problems by appeal to mechanisms that do not involve intentions or agency. Hyper-systemizing in combination with deficit mentalizing ability typically presents clinically as an autistic spectrum disorder; however, the development of hyper-systemizing in combination with normal-range mentalizing ability is not well characterized. A review of anecdotal reports, survey-based measurements, and experimental studies of systemizing suggests the hypothesis that hyper-systemizing in the presence of normal-range mentalizing develops as an addiction syndrome driven by the positive affect associated with insight solutions. A neurocognitive model of hypersystemizing as an outcome of insight addiction is constructed based on the incentive-sensitization model of addiction. If this model is correct, assaying subjects for bias on the systemizing – mentalizing spectrum would be expected to reveal significant activity differentials in temporal-parietal-frontal networks on cognitive tasks with systemizing or mentalizing components within the neurotypical population. Predictions of the model accessible to survey-based instruments and standard cognitive measures are outlined, and evidence pertaining to them considered. date: 2010-08-01 date_type: submitted refereed: FALSE citation: Fields, Chris (2010) From “Oh, OK” to “Ah, yes” to “Aha!”: Hyper-systemizing and the rewards of insight. [Preprint] document_url: http://cogprints.org/6907/1/insight-100723.pdf