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Updated: May 19, 2026
10:38
A Cognitive Paradigm to Investigate Interference in Working Memory by Distractions and Interruptions
Published on: July 16, 2015
Inspired by distraction: mind wandering facilitates creative incubation.
Benjamin Baird1, Jonathan Smallwood, Michael D Mrazek
1Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106-9660, USA. baird@psych.ucsb.edu
Psychological Science
|September 4, 2012
Summary
Engaging in simple, undemanding tasks can boost creative problem-solving by allowing the mind to wander. This mind-wandering, not focused thought, significantly improves performance on creativity tasks.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Neuroscience of Creativity
Background:
- Anecdotal evidence suggests creative insights arise during unrelated thought processes.
- Empirical investigation into this 'incubation effect' for creativity is limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To empirically investigate if engaging in undemanding tasks facilitates creative problem-solving.
- To determine the role of mind-wandering versus directed thought during incubation.
Main Methods:
- Utilized an incubation paradigm with creativity problems (Unusual Uses Task - UUT).
- Compared performance after engaging in demanding tasks, undemanding tasks, rest, or no break.
- Measured mind-wandering and directed thought during incubation periods.
Main Results:
- An undemanding task significantly improved UUT performance compared to demanding tasks, rest, or no break.
- Improved performance correlated with increased mind-wandering.
- No correlation found between improved performance and directed thoughts about the UUT.
Conclusions:
- Engaging in simple external tasks that permit mind-wandering enhances creative problem-solving.
- Mind-wandering, rather than focused contemplation, appears key to the incubation effect in creativity.
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