The Impact of Tolerance for Ambiguity on Creativity
Advisor Information
Roni Reiter-Palmon
Location
Dr. C.C. and Mabel L. Criss Library
Presentation Type
Poster
Start Date
6-3-2015 11:00 AM
End Date
6-3-2015 12:30 PM
Abstract
Individuals are often faced with ambiguous situations that require generation of creative solutions. Cognitive models examine processes in generating creative solutions, and research has shown problem construction is important to subsequent creativity. Problem construction is the process of restating the problem to provide direction for subsequent processes. Individual differences also influence creative solution generation. Because ill-defined situations have multiple outcomes and unclear details, individuals must possess some level of tolerance for ambiguity to produce creative solutions. This tolerance for ambiguity allows individuals to navigate concepts and domains they may not fully understand to generate creative solutions. An ideal level of tolerance for ambiguity may exist for individuals to generate a more creative solution. 237 students were recruited from a Midwestern university to complete the study. Participants were randomly assigned to actively engage or not engage in problem construction. Those in the problem construction group were asked to generate problem restatements before moving to the information search task. Those who were not instructed to engage in problem construction proceeded straight to the information search task. All participants completed an information search task before proceeding to solution generation. The results indicated a curvilinear relationship between tolerance for ambiguity and solution creativity controlling for problem construction task completion. Individuals with moderate tolerance for ambiguity produced more creative solutions than individuals with either low or high tolerance for ambiguity regardless if they completed the problem construction task. These results indicate there is an ideal amount of tolerance for ambiguity for creative solution generation.
The Impact of Tolerance for Ambiguity on Creativity
Dr. C.C. and Mabel L. Criss Library
Individuals are often faced with ambiguous situations that require generation of creative solutions. Cognitive models examine processes in generating creative solutions, and research has shown problem construction is important to subsequent creativity. Problem construction is the process of restating the problem to provide direction for subsequent processes. Individual differences also influence creative solution generation. Because ill-defined situations have multiple outcomes and unclear details, individuals must possess some level of tolerance for ambiguity to produce creative solutions. This tolerance for ambiguity allows individuals to navigate concepts and domains they may not fully understand to generate creative solutions. An ideal level of tolerance for ambiguity may exist for individuals to generate a more creative solution. 237 students were recruited from a Midwestern university to complete the study. Participants were randomly assigned to actively engage or not engage in problem construction. Those in the problem construction group were asked to generate problem restatements before moving to the information search task. Those who were not instructed to engage in problem construction proceeded straight to the information search task. All participants completed an information search task before proceeding to solution generation. The results indicated a curvilinear relationship between tolerance for ambiguity and solution creativity controlling for problem construction task completion. Individuals with moderate tolerance for ambiguity produced more creative solutions than individuals with either low or high tolerance for ambiguity regardless if they completed the problem construction task. These results indicate there is an ideal amount of tolerance for ambiguity for creative solution generation.