Creativity and Planning: Training Interventions to Develop Creative Problem-Solving Skills

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Creative thought requires planning to support the refinement and successful implementation of new ideas. In this study, 174 people were given training intended to provide more effective strategies for executing two key skills held to be involved in implementation planning—penetration (e.g., identification of key causes) and forecasting. The quality and originality of the plans obtained on a transfer task, involving implementation of a new educational curriculum, were assessed. It was found that training forecasting strategies and penetration strategies proved particularly beneficial for creative people, as defined by scores of divergent thinking tests. The implications of these findings for understanding the role of planning in creative thought are discussed.