The Effect of Temporal Distancing on the Accuracy of Idea Evaluation
Advisor Information
Roni Reiter-Palmon
Location
MBSC 224
Presentation Type
Oral Presentation
Start Date
6-3-2020 2:15 PM
End Date
6-3-2020 3:15 PM
Abstract
This study seeks to investigate the process of evaluating creative ideas. I propose to use temporal distance to better understand the role of contextual factors on the idea evaluation process. According to Construal Level Theory, people tend to think concretely when situations are perceived to occur relatively soon and think abstractly when they occur far in time. Previous research has shown that temporal distancing positively relates to creativity through abstract thinking. However, idea evaluation, unlike other creative processes, favors convergent thinking. As such, I believe that temporally proximal conditions, as opposed to distal ones, will better facilitate the idea evaluation process. Participants will respond to an online survey and will be recruited using Mturk. They will be asked to assess solutions to an ill-defined problem that is framed to occur either next week (proximal) or next year (distal). Participants will provide ratings of creativity on the dimensions of idea quality and originality. ANOVAs will be used to test the differences between conditions. I expect that ratings of solutions will be more accurate under the temporally proximal condition than under the temporally distal condition.
The Effect of Temporal Distancing on the Accuracy of Idea Evaluation
MBSC 224
This study seeks to investigate the process of evaluating creative ideas. I propose to use temporal distance to better understand the role of contextual factors on the idea evaluation process. According to Construal Level Theory, people tend to think concretely when situations are perceived to occur relatively soon and think abstractly when they occur far in time. Previous research has shown that temporal distancing positively relates to creativity through abstract thinking. However, idea evaluation, unlike other creative processes, favors convergent thinking. As such, I believe that temporally proximal conditions, as opposed to distal ones, will better facilitate the idea evaluation process. Participants will respond to an online survey and will be recruited using Mturk. They will be asked to assess solutions to an ill-defined problem that is framed to occur either next week (proximal) or next year (distal). Participants will provide ratings of creativity on the dimensions of idea quality and originality. ANOVAs will be used to test the differences between conditions. I expect that ratings of solutions will be more accurate under the temporally proximal condition than under the temporally distal condition.