Affect in Fantasy Play, Emotion in Memories, and Divergent Thinking

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Theory and research support the involvement of emotion in the creative process. Access to emotion in cognition and memories should broaden the associative process, which is important in divergent thinking and creativity. This study tested the hypothesis that affect in fantasy play in children would be related to divergent thinking and to emotion in memories. Emotion in memories was also expected to relate to divergent thinking. Forty-six first- and second-grade children received a 5-min puppet play task (Affect in Play Scale), an alternate uses task, and an emotional memories questionnaire. Major findings were that affect in play was significantly and positively related to the number of uses generated and originality of the use. In particular, negative affect in play was significantly related to all criteria. In addition, affect in play was significantly related to amount of affect in memory descriptions. Expression of affect appears to be cross-situational. Although amount of affect in memories also related to divergent thinking, it did not function as a mediator between negative affect and divergent thinking. Implications for the importance of affect and negative affect in children's play and emotion in memories are discussed.