The Effects of Conflicting Information on Creative Thought: A Source of Performance Improvements or Decrements?

Abstract

Creative problem-solving is, more often than not, studied as an isolated phenomenon. In real-world settings, however, events occur as people seek to generate creative problem solutions—some of which might contribute to and some of which might inhibit creative thought. The present study examined the effects of presenting conflicting information. The conflicting information presented was varied with respect to manner of presentation (either abstract versus specific) and content (either goals versus causes). This conflicting information was introduced at different points as 245 undergraduates worked on a marketing problem calling for creative thought. It was found that presentation of conflicting information, especially early presentation of conflicting information, resulted in decreased performance. The implications of these findings for understanding creative thought are discussed.

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