Etymology

Coined by Abraham S. Luchins and Edith Hirsch Luchins in 1942 after publishing a study of their water-jar experiment. Einstellung (“mindset”) is a German borrowing, hence the capitalisation.

Noun

Einstellung effect (plural Einstellung effects)Category:English lemmas#EINSTELLUNGEFFECTCategory:English nouns#EINSTELLUNGEFFECTCategory:English countable nouns#EINSTELLUNGEFFECTCategory:English multiword terms#EINSTELLUNGEFFECTCategory:English entries with incorrect language header#EINSTELLUNGEFFECTCategory:Pages with entries#EINSTELLUNG%20EFFECTCategory:Pages with 1 entry#EINSTELLUNG%20EFFECT

1. A problem-solving mindset displayed where a simpler solution for solving a particular problem type is not noticed due to thinking being fixed into a particular logic pattern by earlier repetitions of similar solutions.
   • 2026, Jinfa Cai, Roza Leikin, editors, Research in Mathematical Problem Posing: New Advances and Directions, Springer Nature, →ISBN, page 274:

     In psychology, the concept of the Einstellung effect is commonly associated with problem solving as the description of one's tendency (mindset) to use a previously learned workable strategy in situations that either can be resolved more efficiently through a different approach or to which the strategy is not applicable at all.

     Category:English terms with quotations#EINSTELLUNGEFFECT