Incubation and creativity: Do something different

Kreativitätsförderung in der virtuellen Gruppenarbeit

Laut OECD ist Kreativität eine der gefragtesten Soft Skills auf dem zukünftigen Arbeitsmarkt, was eine besondere Förderung in der Aus- und Weiterbildung notwendig macht. Problematisch ist, dass die zunehmende digitale Gestaltung von Lern- und Bildungsangeboten die Entwicklung von Kreativität im Lernprozess erschweren kann. Um zu untersuchen, welche Faktoren die Kreativität in der virtuellen Zusammenarbeit beeinflussen, wurde eine explorative Studie mit Studierenden eines fünftägigen online Design Thinking Workshops durchgeführt. Ziel ist es, aus Sicht der Lernenden die Faktoren zu identifizieren, die in der digitalen Lehre beachtet werden müssen, um kreative Gruppenarbeit zu ermöglichen. Die qualitative und quantitative Analyse der Bedürfnisse der Lernenden ergab drei Gruppen von Schlüsselfaktoren, die besonders bei der Gestaltung von Lehr- und Lernarrangements im digitalen Raum zu berücksichtigt sind: (1) Funktionalität und Eigenschaften der verwendeten technischen Tools, (2) psychologische Werte der Zusammenarbeit und Organisationskultur, (3) Motivation und Engagement.

Sleep and incubation: Using problem reactivation during sleep to study forgetting fixation and unconscious processing during sleep incubation

When people are stuck on a problem, they sometimes benefit from an incubation period -a break from working on the problem. Anecdotes and empirical evidence suggest that sleeping during incubation is useful, but the mechanisms remain poorly understood. We examined how targeted memory reactivation during sleep, which boosts next-day solving, relates to forgetting fixation, a well-supported explanation of awake incubation. In evening sessions, participants attempted puzzles, while a unique sound cue played during each puzzle. Half the time, puzzles included fixating information reinforcing an incorrect representation. Later, during deep sleep, sounds associated with half of participants' previously unsolved puzzles were presented. The sounds should strengthen puzzle memories and reduce forgetting of the fixating information. In morning solving, overnight cueing reliably interacted with fixating information: participants solved numerically more cued than uncued puzzles, but only when puzzles included fixating information. These results suggest that additional processing occurred beyond simple fixation forgetting.

Similar or dissimilar? Influence of similarity between distraction tasks and target tasks on unconscious thought

Distraction tasks are known to affect the unconscious-thought (UT) effect. However, the relationship between two task types, namely distraction and target tasks, and their effect on UT effect have not been examined in previous studies. In this study, we assessed whether simultaneously performing dissimilar distraction and target tasks are beneficial to information processing by UT. In Experiment 1, the target task was an Alternate Use Task (speech task). For the similar-task test, the UT group was assigned the speech 1-back task (speech task) as the distraction task; for the dissimilar-task test, the UT group was assigned the spatial 1-back task (spatial task) as the distraction task. The results of the experiment revealed that under dissimilar tasks, the UT group not only provided more answers but also provided answers that were more novel. For Experiment 2, the target task was changed to Creative Mental Synthesis Task (spatial task) to replicate the results of Experiment 1. The results demonstrated that the dissimilarity between the distraction and target tasks facilitates the UT.

Unconscious versus conscious thought in creative science problem finding: Unconscious thought showed no advantage!

Unconscious thought theory (UTT) suggests that creativity benefits more from unconscious thought than conscious thought. However, previous studies have only focused on creative problem solving. This study aims to explore the effect of unconscious thought and conscious thought in creative science problem finding (CSPF). The ability of CSPF was measured by fluency, flexibility and originality. Participants accomplished the CSPF task after 3 min of distraction, during which unconscious thought was supposed to take place, or after 3 min of conscious thought. Results showed that unconscious thought had no advantage over conscious thought on CSPF. For the CSPF task with open instructions, conscious thought was comparable to unconscious thought in fluency, flexibility and originality. What's more, for the CSPF task with closed instructions, unconscious thought was even overtaken by conscious thought in fluency, flexibility and originality. These findings extend the unconscious thought theory and provide practical guidance on how to propose a creative science problem.

Incubation optimizes the promoting effects of rewards on creativity

We tested the incubation effect on promoting problem-solving insight in a "test-incubation-retest" procedure in different groups receiving a reward notification (RN) before or after the incubation phase, or no RN. Only RN given before incubation significantly promoted creative performance, implying that incubation may help optimize the promoting effects of reward on creativity.

Poetry as a Creative Practice to Enhance Engagement and Learning in Conservation Science

Creativity is crucial to the capacity to do science well, to communicate it in compelling ways, and to enhance learning. Creativity can be both practiced and enhanced to strengthen conservation science professionals’ efforts to address global environmental challenges. We explore how poetry is one creative approach that can further conservation scientists’ engagement and learning. We draw on evidence from peer-reviewed literature to illustrate benefits of integrating science and poetry, and to ground our argument for the growth of a science-poetry community to help conservation scientists develop skills in creative practices as a component of professional development. We present examples from literature as well as two short poetry exercises for scientists to draw on when considering writing poetry, or deciding on forms of poetry to include, in their practice. Opportunity exists to grow science–poetry projects to further our understanding of what such initiatives can offer.

Pleasures of the Mind: What Makes Jokes and Insight Problems Enjoyable

In this paper, a parallel analysis of the enjoyment derived from humor and insight problem solving is presented with reference to a “general” Theory of the Pleasures of the Mind (TPM) (Kubovy, 1999) rather than to “local” theories regarding what makes humor and insight problem solving enjoyable. The similarity of these two cognitive activities has already been discussed in previous literature in terms of the cognitive mechanisms which underpin getting a joke or having an insight experience in a problem solving task. The paper explores whether we can learn something new about the similarities and differences between humor and problem solving by means of an investigation of what makes them pleasurable. In the first part of the paper, the framework for this joint analysis is set. Two descriptive studies are then presented in which the participants were asked to report on their experiences relating to solving visuo-spatial insight problems (Study 1) or understanding cartoons (Study 2) in terms of whether they were enjoyable or otherwise. In both studies, the responses were analyzed with reference to a set of categories inspired by the TPM. The results of Study 1 demonstrate that finding the solution to a problem is associated with a positive evaluation, and the most frequent explanations for this were reported as being Curiosity, Virtuosity and Violation of expectations. The results of Study 2 suggest that understanding a joke (Joy of verification) and being surprised by it (Feeling of surprise) were two essential conditions: when they were not present, the cartoons were perceived as not enjoyable. However, this was not enough to explain the motivations for the choice of the most enjoyable cartoons. Recognizing a Violation of expectations and experiencing a Diminishment in the cleverness or awareness initially attributed to the characters in the cartoon were the aspects which were most frequently indicated by the participants to explain why they enjoyed the joke. These findings are evaluated in the final discussion, together with their limitations and potential future developments.

Incubation and Intuition in Creative Problem Solving

Creative problem solving, in which novel solutions are required, has often been seen as involving a special role for unconscious processes (Unconscious Work) which can lead to sudden intuitive solutions (insights) when a problem is set aside during incubation periods. This notion of Unconscious Work during incubation periods is supported by a review of experimental studies and particularly by studies using the Immediate Incubation paradigm. Other explanations for incubation effects, in terms of Intermittent Work or Beneficial Forgetting are considered. Some recent studies of divergent thinking, using the Alternative Uses task, carried out in my laboratory regarding Immediate vs. Delayed Incubation and the effects of resource competition from interpolated activities are discussed. These studies supported a role for Unconscious Work as against Intermittent Conscious work or Beneficial Forgetting in incubation.

Exploring the links between the phenomenology of creativity and bipolar disorder

BACKGROUND

The links between bipolar disorder (BD) and creativity have historically attracted academic and public interest. Previous research highlights common characteristics of people considered to be highly creative, and those diagnosed with BD, including extraversion, impulsivity, divergent thinking and high motivation (Ma, 2009).

METHOD

In the first phenomenological study focussing on the links between creativity and extreme mood, an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) approach was used to collect and analyse in-depth interview data from seven people diagnosed with BD in the UK.

RESULTS

Four key themes were constructed to reflect and convey the collective accounts: 1. High mood leads to an expanding mind; 2. Full steam ahead; 3. A reciprocal relationship between mood and creativity 4. Reframing bipolar experiences through creative activity.

LIMITATIONS

Participants were a small sample of people who were identified as having BD on the basis of a clinical diagnosis and Mood Disorders screening Questionnaire (MDQ), and who defined themselves as creative without further corroboration.

CONCLUSIONS

Among this sample, creativity was recognised as a valued aspect of BD. Clinical services may usefully draw on creative resources to aid assessment and formulation, and even utilise the effects of creativity on the management of mood. Research demonstrates a high prevalence of non-adherence to medication among persons with BD and this ambivalence might be better understood when the links between extreme mood and creativity are considered.

Creativity-the unconscious foundations of the incubation period

Creativity is one of the most important assets we have to navigate through the fast changing world of the 21st century. Anecdotal accounts of creative individuals suggest that oftentimes, creative discoveries result from a process whereby initial conscious thought is followed by a period during which one refrains from task-related conscious thought. For example, one may spend an embarrassing amount of time thinking about a problem when the solution suddenly pops into consciousness while taking a shower. Not only creative individuals but also traditional theories of creativity have put a lot of emphasis on this incubation stage in creative thinking. The aim of the present article is twofold. First, an overview of the domain of incubation and creativity is provided by reviewing and discussing studies on incubation, mind-wandering, and sleep. Second, the causes of incubation effects are discussed. Previously, little attention has been paid to the causes of incubation effects and most findings do not really speak to whether the effects should be explained by unconscious processes or merely by consequences of a period of distraction. In the latter case, there is no need to assume active unconscious processes. The findings discussed in the current article support the idea that it is not merely the absence of conscious thought that drives incubation effects, but that during an incubation period unconscious processes contribute to creative thinking. Finally, practical implications and directions for future research will be discussed.