Locus of evaluation control, task directions, and type of problem effects on creativity

Abstract:

Ninety‐one eleventh‐graders from one suburban, middle‐class high school completed one realistic and one unrealistic divergent thinking problem. Students were randomly assigned to groups directed to think of unique or common ideas, and their locus of evaluation control was assessed. Internal males and external females were most fluent on the unrealistic task, but males asked to give common ideas and females asked to give unique instructions were the most original. Results were discussed in terms of gender role stereotypes and their differential effects on males’ and females’ creative problem solving.