A Boost for Novelty Search

Recent research reported by scientists at the University of Pennsylvania provides new support for the importance of novelty search in human cognition. In short, they found that "a lucky win seems to be retained better than a probable loss." Unexpected results drew more of the brain's attention and resulted in more learning than expected results.

This would seem to suggest that when searching for a solution, it makes much more sense to try anything, in hopes of triggering an unexpected result, than to plot a path and stick to it regardless of the feedback available.