Process-Based Measures of Creative Problem-Solving Skills: I. Problem Construction

Mumford, Michael D.; Baughman, Wayne A.; Threlfall, K. Victoria; Supinski, Elizabeth P.; Costanza, David P.

doi:10.1207/s15326934crj0901_6

Cited by 144 publications

(72 citation statements)

References 26 publications

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“…an unbiased judgement about the elimination of restatements), we should see differential effects of quality by group if such quality differences are true. Furthermore, feedback from our coders indicated that despite our attempts to fine tune this variable and adopt a more concise definition (after, Mumford et al, 1996) they found this very difficult to code. It may be that more time is needed to train our coders or that more precise guidelines need to be provided indicating what a 'good' quality restatement would look like.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…(very high quality) (see, Mumford et al, 1996). The third measure was flexibility which referred to the number of conceptual categories into which the restatements could be classified (after, Sowden, Clements, Redlich, & Lewis, 2015).…”

Section: Designmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Research has shown that problem construction is an essential skill in creative problem solving and that problem construction ability is clearly related to creative output (see, e.g., Mumford, Baughman, Threlfall, Supinski, & Costanza, 1996;Reiter-Palmon, Mumford, & Threlfall, 1998). Hence, attempts to train and/or improve problem construction ability would be expected to have beneficial effects on creative problem solving performance.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Beyond belief: Structured techniques prove more effective than a placebo intervention in a problem construction task

Вернон

Hocking

2016

Thinking Skills and Creativity

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Problem construction is one of the first steps in creative problem solving and research has shown clear links between problem construction ability and creative output. Here, we compared two active techniques with that of a placebo intervention and show a benefit in problem construction performance for the active techniques. The active techniques required participants to either utilise six questions (six men), or adopt six perspectives, incorporating a range of specific questions (six hats). The placebo intervention (brain-breathing) was specifically constructed to seem both plausible and effective. We had 118 participants randomly allocated to one of the three groups (six men, six hats, brain-breathing) and, after reading a brief synopsis of their allocated tool, they then attempted to restate a given problem in as many different ways as they could within an allotted time. Performance was measured in terms of the fluency, quality, flexibility and originality of responses. Results showed that using the six men tool produced greater fluency, flexibility and originality relative to brainbreathing and the six hats. Use of the six hats tool also led to the production of more original responses relative to the brain-breathing control group. Importantly, there was no difference in reported motivation between the groups, but those using the six men and the brainbreathing tools found these easier to use compared to the six hats. Furthermore, those using the six men tool found this to be more useful and indicated that they were more likely to use this again in the future. Hence, both six men and six hats tools benefited performance, though in distinct ways. These results support the notion that explicitly scaffolding thinking can benefit creative problem solving.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Designmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Beyond belief: Structured techniques prove more effective than a placebo intervention in a problem construction task

Вернон

Hocking

2016

Thinking Skills and Creativity

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“…The first, conducted by , employed the historiometric approach to analyze the creative problem-solving of 120 historical leaders. Researchers examined the differences among the eight creative processes known to be used in creative thinking (e.g., Mumford, Baughman, & Threlfall, 1996). Examining multiple problem-solving events at multiple points in the leaders' careers, the researchers found an interesting pattern of differences among charismatic, ideological and pragmatic leaders, with the exception of one notable "non-finding."…”

Section: Creative Thinkingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Impact of situational framing and complexity on charismatic, ideological and pragmatic leaders: Investigation using a computer simulation

Hunter

Bedell-Avers

Mumford

2009

The Leadership Quarterly

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“…The first was fluency, which referred to the number of problem restatements (see Fontenot, 1993). The second, quality/usefulness, captured the degree Hocking, I., Vernon, D. A Bridge Too Far: Conceptual Distance and Creative Ideation to which the problem restatements were likely to result in a logical/workable approach to the situation, and was scored on a 5-point Likert scale from 1 ('very low quality') to 5 ('very high quality') (see Mumford et al, 1996). The third measure was flexibility, which referred to the number of conceptual categories into which the restatements could be classified (after Sowden, Clements, Redlich, & Lewis, 2015).…”

Section: Designmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Bridge Too Far: Conceptual Distance and Creative Ideation

Hocking

Вернон

2017

Creativity. Theories – Research - Applications

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Previous research has shown changing perspectives to be important in problem finding, with viewpoint-based techniques like the 'six thinking hats' and the 'six honest serving men' improving performance (e.g. Vernon & Hocking, 2014). To date, however, evidence for similar techniques based on conceptually 'near' and 'far' cues, where conceptual distance is defined topologically in a semantic space, has shown mixed results.In a sample of 171 participants, we used two standard verbal problem scenarios together with a novel technique comprising six concepts that were either conceptually near or far from the problem scenario. Participants in the experimental group used the concepts when generating solutions; controls were given empty placeholders instead of concepts. Performance was measured for fluency, quality, originality and flexibility.Apart from flexibility, participants did worse when using concepts of either type in comparison to controls. For flexibility, a borderline boost for far concepts was observed (η 2 = .03, p = .06). We conclude that the cognitive load overhead introduced by our concept-cueing technique, or any other similar technique that attempts to shape the creative process, needs to be minimised through a variety of methods before we can better determine its usefulness and, thus, the role of conceptual distance in creative problem solving.

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Process-Based Measures of Creative Problem-Solving Skills: I. Problem Construction

Cited by 144 publications

References 26 publications

Beyond belief: Structured techniques prove more effective than a placebo intervention in a problem construction task

Beyond belief: Structured techniques prove more effective than a placebo intervention in a problem construction task

Impact of situational framing and complexity on charismatic, ideological and pragmatic leaders: Investigation using a computer simulation

A Bridge Too Far: Conceptual Distance and Creative Ideation

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