The author discusses the phenomenon of incubation in creative problem solving, distinguishes it from "creative worrying" and "tip of the tongue" experiences, and reviews research to indicate a lack of evidence of incubation's existence in well-controlled studies. Note: For related information, see EC 120 232-238. (CL)

Findings indicated that, among college students, problem finding ability is independent of intelligence and field dependence. (Author/SBH)

Author presented a selection of examples of the role of connective analogies in invention/discovery. (Author/RK)

The study relates performance on a cognitive-style measure of perceptual sensitivity and grade point averages to several indices of creativity as affected by a checklist procedure and verbal pretraining. Subjects were 76 students, half of which received verbal pretraining requiring them to list adjectives under five categories. The pretrained…

Two studies related to creativity are reported and discussed. The first examined possible relationships between problem solving, divergent thinking, and field dependence-independence in second-grade students (N=83). The second study determined that the analytical skills of 71 undergraduate students (measured by the Hidden Figures Test) may be…

Cognitive theories of problem solving and suggestions made by cognitive psychologists regarding how to teach problem solving are reviewed. Theories and suggestions from creativity research are also considered. The results are summarized in terms of a description of how high levels of proficiency in problem solving are acquired and how problem…

Exploratory studies of the role of hemisphericity in creative functioning were made of graduate students. Results from instruments assessing hemisphericity, creative style or personality, and creative ability or level indicate that measures of creative style are positively related to the right hemisphere style of information processing. (CJ)

A SYSTEMATIC EXPLORATION OF THE COGNITIVE PROCESSES INVOLVED IN THE PRODUCTION OF A DRAWING WAS CONDUCTED. A SITUATION WAS DESIGNED IN WHICH A SAMPLE GROUP OF ABOUT 30 ARTISTS COULD BE OBSERVED AT WORK. BEHAVIOR WAS RECORDED AND THE PROGRESS OF THEIR WORK PHOTOGRAPHED. OF THE BEHAVIORS OBSERVED, SIX WERE TAKEN TO REFLECT RELEVANT STAGES IN THE…

In this study, 143 creativity researchers completed a survey to rate the importance of various traits and developmental influences on creative achievement. Behaviors in the Motivational Composite were rated as most important for recognized creative achievement, followed by problem finding and questioning skills, and traits reflecting adaptive…

Studies of creativity have generally dealt with the creative act, typically defined as the statistically infrequent approach to problem solving. A study was conducted to determine whether a relationship exists between problem discovery and originality of the written product, and whether problem-finding behavior may be observed in student writers.…

Forty New Zealand children (ages 3-4) were given false-belief and creativity tasks to investigate whether those with a Theory of Mind outlook are better at searching their own minds for creative answers. The numbers of appropriate and original responses in the creativity test correlated positively with performance on false-belief tasks. (Author/CR)

Six experiments were conducted to determine whether idea checklists increased idea quantity and quality. College students were allowed 10 or 20 minutes or unlimited time to find ideas for product improvement problems. Results indicated that the only checklist which significantly stimulated productivity was composed of just seven general categories…