Creative Problem-solving Task Research Articles

Group processes and creative components in a problem-solving task with modular robotics

Group process assessment is one of the methodological challenges in computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL). The aim of this study is to analyze the group process dimensions in a problem-solving task with modular robotics in which creative components of fluidity, flexibility and innovation can be observed. The analysis of group process dimensions in relation to the creative components aims to understand the way group processes can support the creativity process in a problem-solving task. For this objective, 24 dyads of in-service teachers in a creative problem-solving task with modular robotics were engaged. The group process dimensions of conversation, social interaction and problem-solving was identified based on a CSCL coding schema developed for the Virtual Math Team environment. The creative components of fluidity, flexibility and innovation are operationalized based on Guilford’s Alternate Uses Test’s components. The results show the creative component of innovation is related to interactions of support within the dyad. Moreover, the participants dedicating more time to solve the task are engaged not only in more problem-solving interactions with their dyad but also in building more innovative figures, and they also make more figures together. Those results lead us to consider the importance of a positive emotional environment in the context of collaborative creation.

Individual differences in creative cognition.

Creativity is becoming an increasingly desirable characteristic across a number of domains, but the processes underlying various creative abilities remain ambiguous. The most frequently used assessments of creativity (i.e., divergent thinking tasks; creative problem-solving tasks) differ in surface features and are also rarely examined together. These inconsistencies, in addition to mixed findings in the literature, have caused considerable debate among creativity researchers concerning the particular roles of independent or dual processes that lead to success on different creativity tests. The present study expounded upon these mixed findings using a factor analytic method. The results indicated that individual differences in working memory and fluency ability impact performance on divergent thinking and creative problem-solving tasks, but to differing degrees. These results are discussed as supporting a dual-process view of creative thinking. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).

Creative Problem Solving in Primary Education: Exploring the Role of Fact Finding, Problem Finding, and Solution Finding across Tasks

Interest in fostering creative problem solving (CPS) from primary education onwards is growing. However, embedding CPS in Education seems to be a challenge. One problem is that generating creative ideas (idea finding) is often taught in isolation, rather than also including processes such as exploring knowledge (fact finding), defining the problem (problem finding) and comparing ideas to identify the most creative ones (solution finding). In the current study, we prepared CPS tasks for primary education that represent this more complete CPS model and studied whether successful fact finding and problem finding were positively associated with the creativity of the ideas found. Additionally, we studied whether solution finding is doable for these young students and how they select the most creative ideas. Bayesian analyses indicated a positive association of fact finding and problem finding with the number of ideas generated and the originality of these ideas. In addition, problem finding seemed to be positively associated with the completeness of ideas, whereas fact finding seemed not. We also found that primary school students were able to identify their most creative ideas. Students did not seem to undervalue certain aspects of creativity when applying solution finding. Our results indicate that when aiming for more and original solutions, teachers could embed fact finding and problem finding in their CPS teaching practices. Our results also indicate primary school students are able to recognize creativity.

Finding the problem: How students approach problem identification

The primary purpose of this study was to describe students’ strategic approaches to problem identification. Given the absence of descriptive research in creative problem identification strategies, the secondary purpose was to explore the multiple methods for coding students’ responses, including (a) deductive, (b) inductive, and (c) hybrid approaches. Eighth and ninth grade students (N = 90) responded to semi-structured interview prompts while completing a creative problem-solving task (i.e., Creative Problem Solving-Microanalysis Interview Protocol; CPS-MIP). All three coding approaches provided insights and limitations. Collectively, most students only discussed 1-2 strategies, and those strategies tended to represent lower levels of processing (e.g., Resource Management: regulating attention/perception). Fewer students used more complex strategies, such as Elaboration (i.e., exploring/connecting information), Analysis (i.e., considering/dissecting specific components), and Manipulation (i.e., actively altering information). Further, students struggled to integrate multiple strategies into cohesive plans; therefore, students may need explicit instruction and support to develop adaptive strategic approaches to problem identification.

How problem identification strategies influence creativity outcomes

The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of students’ strategic approaches to problem identification on their ability to identify problems, solve problems, and develop divergent ideas. Eighth and ninth grade students (N = 90) completed the Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking-Figural (TTCT-F), as a measure of divergent thinking. Then, students responded to semi-structured interview prompts while completing a creative problem-solving task (i.e., Creative Problem Solving-Microanalysis Interview Protocol; CPS-MIP). Problem identification strategies were significantly, positively related to (a) problem identification fluency, (b) problem-solving fluency, (c) TTCT-F Elaboration subscale performance, and (d) TTCT-F average standard score; however, the most adaptive strategic approach differed based on outcome measure. Collectively, this study demonstrates the importance of specific problem identification strategies in generating ideas to solve problems.

Does Mind Wandering During the Thought Incubation Period Improve Creativity and Worsen Mood?

Enhancing creative problem-solving is increasingly important in a modern globalized society. Previous research has shown that creative problem-solving can be improved if the mind is allowed to wander during time set aside from solving a problem, known as the incubation period. However, some research also suggests that mind wandering leads to negative affect. Our study aims to clarify the effect of mind wandering during the incubation stage on both creative problem-solving and mood while controlling for the effect of working memory capacity. Fifty-two students (both undergraduate and graduates) completed a working memory task and repeated a creative problem-solving task at intervals before and after an incubation period. At the end of the incubation period, we measured participants' frequency of mind wandering and their moods. Results showed that the group with the higher frequency of mind wandering showed the most improvement in one indicator of creativity, flexibility, although this finding was not significant after adjusting for the other four facets. Moreover, our findings indicate that as creativity improved, more negative affect was generated. Our results suggest that mind wandering during the incubation stage could be used to generate more diverse ideas but also suggest that there is a risk attached. Further research should explore how specific features of mind wandering might improve creativity without generating negative affect.

Effects of acute stress on divergent and convergent problem-solving

This study examined the effects of acute stress on creative problem-solving. Thirty-five male participants underwent stress induction via the Trier Social Stress Test; another 35 male participants engaged in a comparable, but less stressful, control task. Subsequently, they all took the Alternative Uses Test (AUT) and the Remote Associates Test (RAT), both of which are standard creative problem-solving tasks. Heart rate (HR) and salivary cortisol were recorded at regular intervals. Compared to controls, stressed participants responded with higher HR and salivary cortisol and reported more negative affect. A comparison of the effects of acute stress on two forms of creative problem-solving tasks, convergent and divergent problem-solving, showed stress-related reductions in the flexibility of solving. These effects were manifested according to the nature of the tasks: in convergent solving, stress induced faster, but less accurate responding; in divergent solving, stress reduced the flexibility of solution production, resulting in less variety of solutions.

Students’ strategic planning and strategy use during creative problem solving: The importance of perspective-taking

The purpose of this study was to examine specific strategies students discuss before engaging with a creative problem-solving (CPS) task (strategic planning), the strategies they report using during the task (strategy use), and which strategies best predict specific creative outcomes. Fifty-eight fifth and sixth graders were interviewed while solving several CPS story tasks. Their responses were coded for creative fluency, flexibility, originality, usefulness to stakeholders, and elaboration. While multiple strategies were significantly correlated with creative outcomes, perspective taking was the most consistent predictor across creative outcomes. Planning to take a stakeholder’s perspective accounted for 19% of the variance in creative fluency and 5% in creative flexibility across items. Further, when students reported using the perspective-taking strategy, they tended to develop more original (r = .34) and useful (r = .39) responses and provide more elaboration (r = .42). This study demonstrated how a semi-structured interview protocol may illuminate the nuances of CPS strategic approaches and further, provides initial evidence to support the development of future interventions targeting perspective-taking strategies.

Bias and Bias Remediation in Creative Problem-Solving: Managing Biases through Forecasting

Although scholars have identified many variables that contribute to creative problem-solving, less attention has been given to variables that might lead to failure in creative problem-solving. One set of variables that might lead to poor performance in creative problem-solving efforts may be found in various decision biases. In this study, the impact of simple and complex decision biases on the production of original, high-quality, and elegant solutions to a creative problem-solving task was examined in a sample of 227 undergraduates attending a large southwestern university. In addition, the value of forecasting instruction as a technique for reducing these decision biases was examined. It was found that both simple and complex decisions biases resulted in problem solutions of lower originality, quality, and elegance. Training in viable forecasting strategies resulted in the production of higher quality problem solutions. The implications of these findings for improving creative problem-solving performance are discussed.

Fostering learner creativity in the English L2 classroom: Application of the creative problem-solving model

This study explores the application of the Creative Problem-Solving (CPS) model to infuse creativity training into English L2 classes. It involved 64 students enrolled in two Year-2 classes at a public high school in Taiwan. The participants completed two Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking aimed at evaluating their creative thinking skills at the beginning and the end of the study respectively. Over a period of four months, they took part in four creative writing tasks that were implemented based on the CPS model. Every time the participants finished a task, they also filled out a survey to report their opinions about it. By analyzing the students’ responses to a task evaluation survey and their test results, this study shows that the students generally indicated a positive feeling about the effects of the CPS tasks on facilitating their English skills, creative thinking, classroom participation, and interaction. They also demonstrated better ideational originality after participating in the four CPS tasks. Moreover, a pedagogical framework is proposed in this study to delineate a pedagogical procedure for designing and implementing CPS activities in English classes.

Team Mental Models, Team Goal Orientations, and Information Elaboration, Predicting Team Creative Performance

This study aimed to enhance understanding of team creativity by investigating the type of team mental models that team members develop during their work on a creative problem solving task. We hypothesized that teams that develop dissimilar team mental models, compared to similar and complementary team mental models, will achieve a higher information elaboration. This effect will be moderated by the development of a high learning-performance team goal orientation. Information elaboration in turn was hypothesized to predict team creative performance. In a 3 (similar/dissimilar/complementary team mental models) × 3 (learning/performance/learning-performance goal orientation) experimental study on a sample of 33 teams (N = 98) we found that teams that developed more dissimilar team mental models and experienced a learning-performance goal orientation intervention engaged in more information elaboration. Information elaboration, in turn, mediated the relationship between the interaction between team mental models and team goal orientations and team creative performance. Implications for research on team mental models and team creativity are discussed.

Exploring business students' creative problem-solving preferences

ABSTRACTPast research has established the importance of problem solving to business success. The authors explored the creative problem-solving (CPS) preferences of business students, addressing two primary issues: (a) Do CPS preferences vary across CPS stages and tasks? And (b) Do CPS preferences regarding collaboration and delegation vary by stage? Findings suggest business students' CPS preferences do vary across CPS stages and tasks. Further, results show business students' preferences for CPS collaboration and delegating do vary by stage. The implications for businesses and educators attempting to improve attitudes toward creativity are discussed.

Transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation (tVNS) enhances divergent thinking

Creativity is one of the most important cognitive skills in our complex and fast-changing world. Previous correlative evidence showed that gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is involved in divergent but not convergent thinking. In the current study, a placebo/sham-controlled, randomized between-group design was used to test a causal relation between vagus nerve and creativity. We employed transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation (tVNS), a novel non-invasive brain stimulation technique to stimulate afferent fibers of the vagus nerve and speculated to increase GABA levels, in 80 healthy young volunteers. Creative performance was assessed in terms of divergent thinking (Alternate Uses Task) and convergent thinking tasks (Remote Associates Test, Creative Problem Solving Task, Idea Selection Task). Results demonstrate active tVNS, compared to sham stimulation, enhanced divergent thinking. Bayesian analysis reported the data to be inconclusive regarding a possible effect of tVNS on convergent thinking. Therefore, our findings corroborate the idea that the vagus nerve is causally involved in creative performance. Even thought we did not directly measure GABA levels, our results suggest that GABA (likely to be increased in active tVNS condition) supports the ability to select among competing options in high selection demand (divergent thinking) but not in low selection demand (convergent thinking).

Preparing the Self for Team Entry: How Relational Affirmation Improves Team Performance

Working in teams often leads to productivity loss because the need to feel accepted prevents individual members from making a unique contribution to the team in terms of the information or perspective they can offer. Drawing on self-affirmation theory, we propose that pre-team relational self-affirmation can prepare individuals to contribute to team creative performance more effectively. We theorize that relationally-affirming one’s self-views increases general feelings of being socially valued by others, leading to better information exchange and creative performance. In a first study, we found that teams in which members affirmed their best selves prior to team formation (i.e., by soliciting and receiving narratives that highlight one’s positive impact on close others) outperformed teams that did not do so on a creative problem-solving task. In the second experiment, conducted using virtual teams, we show that pre-team relational self-affirmation leads to heightened feelings of social worth, which in turn explains the effect of the treatment on the team’s ability to exchange information.

The Effects of Performance Incentives and Creativity Training on Creative Problem-Solving Performance

I investigate the effect of different incentive schemes on employees’ effort and performance in a creative problem-solving task because current literature is divided on the effect of performance-based incentives on creative problem-solving. Using an experiment, I compare two types of performance-based incentives (piece-rate pay and fixed wage plus recognition) with fixed wage alone and examine whether creativity training can moderate the relationship between incentives and creative problem-solving performance. Extending the theoretical predictions from Bonner and Sprinkle’s (2002) incentive-effort-performance model to creative tasks, I predict that the effect of performance-based incentives on creative problem-solving performance will be more positive in the presence of creativity training than in its absence. In the experiment, 120 participants attempted to solve six problems requiring creative insight under time constraints. Creative problem-solving performance is measured as the number of insight problems solved. Significant interactions with training are found for both piece-rate wage and recognition. I find that, without training, piece-rate pay produces lower performance than fixed wage. With training, however, performance is higher under piece-rate pay than under fixed wage. Relative to fixed wage alone, fixed wage plus recognition has no effect on performance without training, but recognition generates higher performance with training. Findings from this study have implications for organizations that need creative output from their employees and are looking to use incentives, either monetary or non-monetary, to motivate superior performance.

Examining the Effects of Performance-Based Pay and Performance Monitoring on Task Performance

Past research suggests that individual, task, and environmental factors interact to affect task performance in the workplace. This study reports the results of a laboratory experiment where 88 participants completed both an algorithmic clerical task and a creative problem-solving task, in a factorial experiment that manipulated the presence and absence of performance-based pay (PBP) and performance monitoring (PM). Additionally, we collected participants’ perceptions of the attractiveness and difficulty of the two tasks, as well as other affective reactions to the control environments. Contrary to hypotheses, PBP improved performance of the creative problem-solving task, but degraded performance of the algorithmic clerical task, while PM had less effect on task performance. Although the effects of PBP were surprising, consideration of the mediating effects of perceived task attractiveness and perceived task difficulty, along with affective reactions to PBP, offer an explanation. These results shed light on how individual, task, and control factors may interact to affect task performance, and highlight the difficulty of predicting the effects of internal controls in a complex work environment.

Role of Thinking in Learning

Thinking is essential for learning. Thinking is inextricably intertwined with learning. Teaching thinking refers to teaching critical and creative thinking skills and problem solving tasks. Critical thinking incorporates reasoning, logical judgment, metacognition, reflection, and mental process in course of learning. It involves evaluation, analyzing, and interpreting the problems to find out the solution. Creative thinking can be enhanced through multiple intelligence, affective factors, and innovative curriculum. Metacognition and thinking are must to solve any task in learning language. Journal of NELTA Surkhet Vol.4 2014: 57-63

Challenges in determining whether creativity and mental illness are associated.

Challenges in determining whether creativity and mental illness are associated.

Effects of Performance-Based Pay, Social Recognition, and Training on Performance in Creative Problem Solving: An Experimental Investigation

I investigate the effect of different incentive schemes on employees’ effort and performance in a creative problem-solving task because current literature is divided on the effect of performance-based incentives on creative performance. I conduct an experimental study comparing two types of performance-based incentives (piece-rate pay and fixed pay plus social recognition) with fixed pay alone and examine whether the use of creativity training can moderate the relationship between incentives and creative performance. By integrating theoretical predictions from both Bonner and Sprinkle’s (2002) incentive-effort-performance model and Amabile’s (1996) componential model of creative problem solving, I predict that the effect of performance-based incentives on creative performance will be more positive in the presence of creativity training than in its absence. In the experiment, 120 participants attempted to solve 6 problems requiring creative insight under time constraints. Creative performance is measured as the number of insight problems solved. Significant interactions with training are found for both piece-rate pay and social recognition. I find that, without training, piece-rate pay produces lower creative performance than fixed pay. With training, however, performance is higher under piece-rate pay than under fixed pay. Relative to fixed pay alone, fixed pay plus social recognition has no effect on creative performance without training, but it motivates higher creative performance with training. Findings from this study have implications for organizations that need creative output from their employees and are looking to use incentives, either monetary or non-monetary, to motivate superior performance.

A Study of the Relationship Between Working Memory Capacity and Incubation In Creative Problem Solving Task

A Study of the Relationship Between Working Memory Capacity and Incubation In Creative Problem Solving Task