Do Time Press, Stimulus, and Creative Prompt Influence the Divergent Production of Undergraduate Students? Yes, Yes, and No, Not Very Much

Abstract

AbstractThis study examined the influence of time press, specific stimulus, and type of creativity prompt on fluency and flexibility scores of 75 undergraduates randomly assigned to condition. Three stimuli were administered, in three time allotments (2.5, 5.0, and 7.5 min), counterbalanced with three types of prompt intended to elicit higher fluency, flexibility, or originality scores. Dependent variables were fluency and flexibility scores.The results suggest that time press has a strong, and typically linear influence on both fluency and flexibility scores. When scores were adjusted by time allowed, a significant difference across stimuli was observed for flexibility, but not for fluency scores. Prompts had very small and nonsignificant effects. Performance did not differ for groups exposed to longer/shorter vs. shorter/longer time patterns on successive tasks.