The Assimilator-Explorer styles and creativity

Abstract

This study looked at the relationship between the Assimilator–Explorer (A-E) cognitive styles and creativity. A measure of creative activities, four divergent thinking tasks used as controls, and a measure of the A-E styles, where Explorers have higher and Assimilators lower scores, were included and completed by a sample of 342 participants. Participants completed the measures during three waves and there were three months between the first and third waves. Results showed that there were weak, but significant positive correlations between the A-E styles and verbal and figural fluency. Moreover, the relationship between the A-E styles and creative activities was positive and significant, also when controlling for fluency and gender. Implications are discussed.