Rigidity (psychology)

Rigidity is an ancient part of our human cognition.[4] Systematic research on rigidity can be found tracing back to Gestalt psychologists, going as far back as the late 19th to early 20th century with Max Wertheimer, Wolfgang Köhler, and Kurt Koffka in Germany.[4][5] With more than 100 years of research on the matter there is some established and clear data. Nonetheless, there is still much controversy surrounding several of the fundamental aspects of rigidity. In the early stages of approaching the idea of rigidity, it is treated as "a unidimensional continuum ranging from rigid at one end to flexible at the other". This idea dates back to the 1800s and was later articulated by Charles Spearman who described it as mental inertia. Prior to 1960 many definitions for the term rigidity were afloat. One example includes Kurt Goldstein's, which he stated, "adherence to a present performance in an inadequate way", another being Milton Rokeach saying the definition was, "[the] inability to change one's set when the objective conditions demand it".[6] Others have simplified rigidity down to stages for easy defining.[7] Generally, it is agreed upon that it is evidenced by the identification of mental or behavioral sets.[4]

Lewin and Kounin also proposed a theory of cognitive rigidity (also called Lewin-Kounin formulation) based on a Gestalt perspective and they used it to explain a behavior in mentally retarded persons that is inflexible, repetitive, and unchanging.[8] The theory proposed that it is caused by a greater "stiffness" or impermeability between inner-personal regions of individuals, which influence behavior.[8] Rigidity was particularly explored in Lewin's views regarding the degree of differentiation among children. He posited that a mentally retarded child can be distinguished from the normal child due to the smaller capacity for dynamic rearrangement in terms of his psychical systems.[9]

Mental sets represent a form of rigidity in which an individual behaves or believes in a certain way due to prior experience.[10] It's a type of cognitive bias that can lead people to make assumptions about how they should solve problems without taking into account all the information available.[11] The opposite of this is termed cognitive flexibility. These mental sets may not always be consciously recognized by the bearer.[12] In the field of psychology, mental sets are typically examined in the process of problem solving,[13] with an emphasis on the process of breaking away from particular mental sets into formulation of insight. Breaking mental sets in order to successfully resolve problems fall under three typical stages: a) tendency to solve a problem in a fixed way, b) unsuccessfully solving a problem using methods suggested by prior experience, and c) realizing that the solution requires different methods.[10] Components of high executive functioning, such as the interplay between working memory and inhibition, are essential to effective switching between mental sets for different situations.[14] Individual differences in mental sets vary, with one study producing a variety of cautious and risky strategies in individual responses to a reaction time test.[15]

Rigidity can be a learned behavioral trait, for example if the subject has a parent, boss or teacher who demonstrated the same form of behavior towards them. Rigidity is also associated with autism spectrum conditions, and has a genetic component.[16]

Rigidity has three different main "stages" of severity, although it never has to move to further stages.[7] The first stage is a strict perception that causes one to persist in their ways and be close-minded to other things.[7] The second involves a motive to defend the ego.[7] The third stage is that it is a part of one's personality and you can see it in their perception, cognition, and social interactions.[7]

We often see traits that occur alongside rigidity.

• Set (psychology)
• Cognitive inertia
• Neuroplasticity
• Cognitive flexibility
• Einstellung effect
• Abnormal posturing