Does Generating Multiple Ideas Lead to Increased Creativity? A Comparison of Generating One Idea vs. Many

Abstract

Recent findings in creativity research suggest that how creativity is operationalized may have a profound influence on theories of creative production. In this study, two paradigms—divergent thinking and creative problem solving—were compared on several indices of creativity while keeping the problem constant. Participants were students from a Midwestern University and received extra credit for participation. Ideas were rated for quality, originality, and elaboration, and compared across the 2 approaches. The results of this study indicated that participants that generated a single solution to a problem generated solutions of higher average and participant selected best quality, originality, and elaboration. Participants that generated multiple solutions generated more solutions and generated a highest rated solution for originality. These findings call attention to the need for researchers to more carefully consider the issue of measurement in creativity, and how asking participants to generate one solution or multiple solutions can affect interpretation and subsequent generalizations.