The moderating influence of idea sequence: A re-analysis of the relationship between category switch and latency

Abstract

Divergent thinking (DT) tests are often used to estimate the potential for creative thinking. They are usually scored for fluency, originality, and flexibility. The last of these is especially important because it allows the person to avoid rigidity and conceptual ruts. Usually, flexibility is operationalized in terms of the absolute number of conceptual categories used by the individual, but occasionally it has been scored in terms of the number of switches rather than the absolute number of categories used. The present study investigated if idea sequence moderates the relationship between category switch and the latency between consecutive ideas. Data were collected through think aloud sessions with four DT tests. These elicited 1408 ideas. A three-level hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) structure indicated that idea sequence moderated the relationship between category switch and latency. Latency tended to be shorter in early ideas than those coming later and it was the highest when a category switch took place in later sections than those occurring earlier. Findings are discussed in terms of creativity assessment and the process of DT.