There was a wise man in ancient Greece named Archimedes, who was not only a mathematician, a physicist, but also an engineer. His wisdom and talent made him like a bright star in that era, leaving countless valuable scientific legacies for future generations. The story of Archimedes and a crown of pure gold has become a classic interpretation of the brewing effect.
At that time, a king of ancient Greece, in order to show his authority and dignity, ordered craftsmen to create an ornate crown of pure gold. When the crown was presented to the king, he wondered if it was really made of pure gold, as the craftsmen claimed. Or is it mixed with silver? This question bothered the king, because he did not want to compromise the integrity of the crown, but also wanted to confirm its true composition.
So, the king gave the puzzle to Archimedes. Upon receiving the task, Archimedes began to meditate, trying to find a way to accurately judge the composition of the crown without damaging it. He tried many methods, such as weighing and tapping to listen to the sound, but all failed. Because no matter how hard he tried, he could not accurately tell whether the crown was adulterated with silver without damaging it.
Archimedes thought about it day and night, and he didn't think about it. One day, he went to the bathroom to take a shower. As he slowly sat down in the tub while thinking about the problem, he suddenly noticed that the water began to overflow. This phenomenon instantly inspired him. He felt his body gently lifted up by the water, as if there was a mysterious force at work.
Archimedes immediately jumped out of the bathtub and ran home excitedly. He began a series of experiments and research, and finally succeeded in solving the problem using the principle of buoyancy. He discovered that by placing the crown in water, its true composition could be accurately determined based on the volume of water it drained. This is known as the law of buoyancy, also known as Archimedes' law.
Archimedes' discovery process perfectly illustrates the "gestation effect" in psychology. The so-called brewing effect refers to the fact that in the process of solving a problem, when we encounter a problem, if we temporarily put it aside and do something else, then after a period of time, we may suddenly find a solution or inspiration to solve the problem. This effect is very common in everyday life.
For example, when we are faced with a complex mathematical problem, we can't find a solution to it. But when we put the question aside and go for a walk, listen, or chat with a friend, all of a sudden, the answer flashes into our heads. That's where the brewing effect comes into play.
Psychologists believe that the brewing effect occurs because our subconscious mind continues to think about the problem during the time it takes us to let go of the problem. The relevant information stored in the memory is combined in the subconscious, and the reason why we suddenly find the answer when we are resting is because the individual has eliminated the psychological tension in the early stage, forgotten the incorrect and deadlocked thinking in front of the individual, and has a creative state of thinking. So when we come back to the problem again, we look at it with a whole new perspective and way of thinking to find a solution to the problem.
The "brewing effect" tells us not to be overly anxious or impatient when faced with difficult problems, but to learn to let go, wait and settle. Because sometimes, the best solution is the one that pops up without you noticing.