Holistic thinkers process divided-attention tasks faster: from the global/local perspective

The effect of font boldness, noise disturbance and time pressure on human error in the context of cloud change operation

This study investigated the number of operator errors, task completion time, and workload of subjects at different levels by imposing conditions such as focused text boldness, noise disturbance, and time pressure to simulate a realistic cloud change business process in the laboratory. Results of the study showed that the text bolding of important content reduced the number of errors, whereas noise interference increased the number of errors. Text boldness only reduced the number of corrected errors, and noise interference only increased the number of uncorrected errors. Moreover, bolding was found to have different effects on the number of errors under different noise levels and time pressure levels, with text boldness significantly reducing the number of total errors only in quiet or low time pressure states. Time pressure had no effect on cloud change task error counts, but high time pressure resulted in higher subjective workload.

The Relationships between Cognitive Styles and Creativity: The Role of Field Dependence-Independence on Visual Creative Production

Previous studies explored the relationships between field dependent-independent cognitive style (FDI) and creativity, providing misleading and unclear results. The present research explored this problematic interplay through the lens of the Geneplore model, employing a product-oriented task: the Visual Creative Synthesis Task (VCST). The latter requires creating objects belonging to pre-established categories, starting from triads of visual components and consists of two steps: the preinventive phase and the inventive phase. Following the Amabile’s consensual assessment technique, three independent judges evaluated preinventive structures in terms of originality and synthesis whereas inventions were evaluated in terms of originality and appropriateness. The Embedded Figure Test (EFT) was employed in order to measure the individual’s predisposition toward the field dependence or the field independence. Sixty undergraduate college students (31 females) took part in the experiment. Results revealed that field independent individuals outperformed field dependent ones in each of the four VCST scores, showing higher levels of creativity. Results were discussed in light of the better predisposition of field independent individuals in mental imagery, mental manipulation of abstract objects, as well as in using their knowledge during complex tasks that require creativity. Future research directions were also discussed.