Preference for stimulus complexity and architectural creativity

Previous research linking creativity with preference for stimulus complexity was questioned. A measure of preference for stimulus complexity was derived from a previous study in which mean ratings of complexity of stimuli in the Welsh Figure Preference Test were obtained. Preferences for complexity by 116 architects in MacKinnon's (1961) study were unrelated to judged creativity. Barron-Welsh Art Scale scores of these subjects were significantly related to creativity only after the effects of preference for stimulus complexity were statistically removed.