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Creative discovery in imagery and perception: combining is relatively easy, restructuring takes a sketch
I M Verstijnen1, C van Leeuwen, G Goldschmidt
1Technical University of Delft, The Netherlands. pn_Verstijnen@mac-mail.psy.uva.nl
Acta Psychologica
|August 26, 1998
Summary
Sketching enhances creativity by promoting novel component restructuring, especially for expert sketchers. Combining components creatively is independent of sketching or expertise.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Creativity Research
- Human-Computer Interaction
Background:
- Creative processes involve combining and restructuring elements.
- The role of externalization (e.g., sketching) and expertise in creativity is debated.
- Previous studies suggest creativity ratings are similar across imagery and externalization conditions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how sketching (externalization) and expertise influence creative combination strategies.
- To differentiate the impact of combining vs. restructuring on creativity.
- To test a model of flexible strategy use in creative tasks.
Main Methods:
- A figure combination task was given under imagery-alone and sketching (externalization) conditions.
- Participants varied in sketching expertise.
- Combinations were scored for novelty in spatial configuration (combining) and component structure (restructuring).
Main Results:
- Creativity ratings were equivalent across imagery and externalization conditions.
- Sketching increased the restructuring score, particularly for expert sketchers.
- Creativity correlated with combining and restructuring in sketching, but only combining in imagery.
Conclusions:
- Creative processes flexibly employ combining and restructuring strategies.
- Restructuring relies on externalization and expertise.
- Combining is independent of externalization and expertise.