Responses can be scored with respect to four aspects flexibility, originality, fluency, and elaboration, but given that flexibility seems to be by far the most reliable. Especially in definitive areas, convergent thinking is very beneficial because it allows the mind to focus upon the single. Tests of dt are useful estimates of the potential for creative problem solving. It could proceed in a variety of pathways, stemming from one main point. Runco, 2010, and to essentially equate creativity with the capacity for convergent and divergent thinking e. Divergent thinking is a thought process or method used to generate creative ideas by exploring many possible solutions. I was just curious to know if you were either a divergent or convergent thinker. Bringing facts and data together from various sources and then applying logic and knowledge to solve problems, achieve objectives or to make informed decisions is known as thinking convergently. How to use divergent and convergent thinking to improve. Divergent thinkers have a real preference for unusual, original and idiosyncratic responses. Problem discovery, divergent thinking, and the creative process. Divergent thinking, also referred to as lateral thinking, is the process of creating multiple, unique ideas or solutions related to a problem that you. Divergent thinking takes place in a freeflowing manner and is spontaneous, which results in multiple possible solutions in short amount of time.
Divergent thinking assessments have openended questions or tasks to stimulate a variety of ideas. Divergent thinking is the process of generating multiple ideas to maximize the range of possible solutions, applications, examples, etc. Fluency is considered as a contaminating factor because higher fluency scores accompany higher scores on originality and flexibility starko, 2005. Convergent thinking, the bias of which is to assume that there is a correct way to do things, is inherently conservative. The probably best example is a brainstorming session, which has the aim of generating as many ideas on a particular issue as possible. On the other hand, divergent thinking was equated with creativity and both were not uncommonly presented as. Pass out one of the two divergent thinking forms or use a plain sheet of paper.
Combine and build use one idea as a springboard for another. This quiz is based on the trilogy by veronica roth. Dec 02, 20 divergent thinking is taken to represent a style of thinking that allows many new ideas being generated, in a context where more than one solution is correct. Problem discovery, divergent thinking, and the creative. Three divergent thinking tests were administered to a group of adolescents. Convergent and divergent thinking in verbal analogy article pdf available in thinking and reasoning 214. Write the stimuli on the whiteboard or have it appear on a powerpoint slide. The process of figuring out a concrete solution to any problem is called convergent thinking. How to use divergent and convergent thinking to improve your. It typically occurs in a spontaneous, freeflowing, nonlinear manner, such that many ideas are generated in an emergent cognitive fashion. Divergent thinking exercises are a great way to warm up thinking before an exam or to get energized before tackling a new topic. On the other hand, divergent thinking was equated with creativity and both were not uncommonly presented as competing or. It generally means the ability to give the correct answer to standard questions that do not require significant creativity, for instance in most tasks in school and on standardized multiplechoice tests for intelligence. He asked simple questions and then did mental exercises to solve problems.
Each test contained three presentedproblems and one. Ritter, conceptualization, data curation, formal analysis. This weeks puzzle corner activity is an adaptation of a classic puzzle from recreational mathematics. Divergent and convergent thinking in the ideation process. Creative problem solving and design thinking epale.
Convergent thinking is the mental process of deriving the best. Defer judgment deferring judgment isnt the same as having no judgment. Divergent thinking tools divergence is the process of thinking broadly. Combine and build use one idea as a springboard for. In an abundance of enthusiasm generated postsputnik 1, the convergent style of thinking was rapidly equated with typical intelligence. In the convergent thinking process, choice is deliberate and conscious. Divergent thinking tests have received suggestions for improvement. It means avoiding the traditional teaching method that emphasizes convergent thinking, in which a student memorizes existing mathematical rules and theorems. Guilfords description of divergent thinking was that it is an inductive, innovative, and inventive way of thinking. Some can turn off the divergent thinking at times, but others cannot. Extending the effects of an episodic specificity induction kevin p. Modulation of convergent and divergent thinking by transcranial direct current stimulation tdcs sharon zmigrod, lorenza s. To select the best of our divergent options, determine their potential value.
Anne manning demonstrates the concepts of divergent and convergent thinking to inspire new ways to approach problemsolving with your team. Schacter2 1school of psychology and the centre for brain research, the university of auckland, auckland, new zealand 2department of psychology, harvard university, cambridge, ma, usa received 23 july 2014. Divergent and convergent thinking is not just for creativity in the workplace. Divergent thinking is not synonymous with creative thinking, but the research presented in this volume suggests that divergent thinking is an important component of the creative process. Thus, divergent thinking is relevant in creativity since it generates. Divergent thinking is thinking outwards instead of inward. Criteria are purposefully applied as we screen, select, evaluate, and refine the options, all the. Divergence and convergence of mental forces of children in.
Well look at generating more ideas, how to critique and make improvements, and continue to practice our development of ideas. Divergence and convergence the convergent phase is. Cultivating divergent thinking in mathematics through an. When it comes to problem solving and idea generation, two ways are commonly cited, namely divergent and convergent thinking strategies. Divergent creative thinking in young and older adults scholars at. Convergent and divergent thinking a pedagogical approach for classrooms. Results show better divergentthinking performance with unconstrained than with constrained walking, and better performance for walking than. Teachers can, for example, encourage students divergent thinkingideas that are openended and that lead in many directions torrance, 1992. You start by looking in your closet to explore options. Divergent thinking dt plays a critical role in many creative efforts. Pdf convergent and divergent thinking in verbal analogy.
Divergent thinkers can take one problem and pull multiple solutions and ideas from one origin. Convergent thinking involves finding the one right solution to a problem 4. Brain dopamine function and performance on divergent and convergent thinking tasks the studies of this thesis provide empirical evidence that creativity is not a homogeneous concept. Schacter2 1school of psychology and the centre for brain research, the university of auckland. Not only that, but the convergent and divergent thinking aspects were. Listening to happy music facilitates divergent thinking. Divergent thinking is stimulated by openended questionsquestions with many possible answers, such as the. Keywords divergent thinking, convergent thinking, open problem solving, data structures, multiple solution generation. Avoid judging ideas as either bad or good in the divergentthinking phase. The second is that creative thinking can be stimulated by teachers efforts. These tests contrast with convergent thinking tests in which there is but a single solution, e. List all of the muscles of the body that you can think of off the top of your head.
Convergent thinking is a term coined by joy paul guilford as the opposite of divergent thinking. Many possible solutions are explored in a short amount of time, and unexpected. Divergence and convergence the convergent phase is goaloriented and. Both convergent and divergent thinking are of benefit to the human being. You have 4 choices that could state if you are either divergent, allegiant, convergent, or insurgent. At certain points in the creative process, thinking and focus needs to shift. How convergent and divergent thinking foster creativity. Choosing what to wear in the morning is an exercise in divergent and convergent thinking. Nov 17, 2017 divergent thinking takes place in a freeflowing manner and is spontaneous, which results in multiple possible solutions in short amount of time. It typically occurs in a spontaneous, freeflowing, non linear manner, such that many ideas are generated in an emergent cognitive fashion. There are two fundamental thinking tools that are very different and, at the same time, very useful in the process of creative thinking. Convergent thinking definition of convergent thinking by. Divergent and convergent thinking linkedin slideshare.
The information and ideas obtained as a result of divergent thinking can be structured using convergent thinking to produce a single. Focus on winnowing out the impractical, and clustering ideas that are similar the start of convergent. Divergent thinking is the process of thinking that explores multiple possible solutions in order to generate creative ideas its a straight forward process that focuses on figuring out the most effective answer. Seeking as many options as possible fan divergent thinking 15.
Divergent creative thinking in young and older adults. This chapter presents the basics of divergent thinking, covering theoretical support and an overview of the different kinds of dt tests and the various scoring methods. Divergent and convergent thinking in this unit well look as some of the ways we can describe creativity and examine the concepts of divergent and convergent thinking. Divergent thinking and constructing episodic simulations donna rose addis1, ling pan2, regina musicaro2, and daniel l. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Nov 17, 2017 convergent vs divergent thinking, differences. Guide your groups thinking process to new heights of productivity one of the simplest, most valuable skills a brainstorm facilitator can develop is the ability to read the direction in which their groups thoughts are flowing. It generally means the ability to give the correct answer to standard questions that do not require significant creativity, for instance in most tasks in school and. They are different in what they think about, and how they express this difference. Mar 12, 20 divergent thinking tests have received suggestions for improvement.
The challenge during divergent thinking is pushing through the initial blockers, blinders, and biases, and resisting the natural inclinations to turn. Divergent thinking is taken to represent a style of thinking that allows many new ideas being generated, in a context where more than one solution is correct. Jun 22, 2011 alternate uses task divergent thinking in this task based on guilford, 1967, and translated into dutch, participants were asked to list as many possible uses for a common household item cup as they can within 5 min. In one interesting study, they administered their test to groups of 5, 10 and 15 year olds. Divergent thinking is the process of thinking that explores multiple possible solutions in order to generate creative ideas. It is the ability to develop original and unique ideas and then come up with a problem solution or achieve an objective. Alternate uses task divergent thinking in this task based on guilford, 1967, and translated into dutch, participants were asked to list as many possible uses for a common household item cup as they can within 5 min.
The divergent phase is nonlinear and needs chaos time. It is traditionally posed as a thought problem to be worked out in your head. The results are described in their book break point and beyond. The present investigation was conducted to examine the role of problem discovery in the divergent thinking and creative performance of adolescents. This procedure is unorganized and yields unexpected connections. Teaching and learning of divergent and convergent thinking. The impact of physical exercise on convergent and divergent. Divergent and convergent thinking divergent and convergent. Valid reasons why divergent thinking is often discouraged in classrooms.
Divergent thinking typically generates alternatives, has freeforall open discussion, gathers diverse points of view and unpacks the problem. Apr 21, 2010 the power of divergent and convergent thinking. It is processoriented and needs prolonged decision time. Divergent thinking and constructing episodic simulations. Divergent thinking puzzles aims center for math and. The divergent thinking aspect, however, was not related to the standard version. Divergent thinking treats all ideas equally divergent thinking is often hard to measure divergent behavior in larger classrooms might cause disruption. In science and engineering, this is followed by evaluation of the answers and a choice of optimal solution. Introduction divergent thinking is the process of generating different possible solutions for a given problem, while convergent thinking is evaluating and selecting accurate solution based on. Convergent and divergent thinking flashcards quizlet. Divergent thinking generally resists the accepted ways of doing things and seeks alternatives.
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