Ideational Skills Training: A Key Element in Creativity Training Programs

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of a complete creativity training program to that of one element of the program, ideational skills training, in increasing creative performance. Participants were 108 undergraduate students who were randomly assigned to one of 3 conditions: creativity training, ideational skills training, and a control group. Participants completed a pretest and a posttest of divergent thinking, the figural form of the Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking (TTCT; Torrance, 1966), as well as a manipulation check questionnaire. Multivariate analyses of covariance and comparison tests showed that both the creativity training and the ideational skills training had significant positive effects on overall TTCT scores when compared to the control condition. Analyses of covariance revealed that these 2 types of training had differential effects on the various TTCT subscores. Implications of these results are discussed.