Priming divergent thinking promotes logical reasoning in 6- to 8-year olds: But more for high than low SES students

Abstract

Divergent thinking is a component of creativity. In the following study, we argue that this form of thinking also underlies logical reasoning. A total of 205 early elementary school children in Grades 1 and 2, from high and moderately low SES environments, were given a short-term prime for divergent thinking and simple reasoning problems. Overall, receiving this prime significantly improved logical reasoning at both grade levels. High and low SES students had similar levels of working memory, inhibitory control, performance on the divergent thinking task, and levels of logical reasoning without the prime. However, also consistent with our predictions, only high SES students showed overall improved logical reasoning following the divergent thinking prime, with the SES difference concentrated in the younger students. These results suggest that environmental differences in openness to alternatives and divergent thinking might underlie developing SES differences in levels of logical thinking.

Keywords:

• Logical reasoning
• Creativity
• Divergent thinking
• SES

Acknowledgments

This study was supported by a research grant from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada to HM and an NSERC postgraduate scholarship to M-LB. We would like to thank the teachers, administrators, and children of the schools involved for their cooperation.