Measuring Preference for Ideation in Creative Problem-Solving Training

Abstract

Creativity, problem solving, and innovation are of increasing concern to organizations in these times of accelerating change. This article seeks to deepen readers' understanding of the specific attitudes and thinking processes associated with creative behavior in organizations. The authors report on two empirical studies that developed a reliable, valid measure of "preference for ideation," an important attitude identified in previous creative problem-solving training research. They also identify three additional, distinct ideation-related attitudes: the tendency to make premature critical evaluations of ideas, the valuing of new ideas, and the belief that creative thinking is bizarre. The article presents a speculative model that differentiates "ideation" and "deferral of judgment" attitudinally and cognitively, categorizing Osborn's brainstorming rules accordingly.