| Individuals, teams, and organizations are regularly faced with ambiguous problems that require the generation of a creative solution. Models of cognitive processing have focused on the cognitive processes that influence creativity. This research focuses on two of these processes: problem construction and information search. Problem construction refers to the process of defining or restating a problem in order to provide goals and direction for subsequent processes. The redefinition process occurs through the activation of problem representations, which are existing categories and schema that are activated by the information presented in the problem and provide direction for subsequent processes, such as information search. Information search refers to the process of searching both external and internal sources in order to decrease ambiguity in the problem and facilitate idea generation. To study these processes empirically, problem construction and information search were elicited separately and measured using a complex problem solving task. The results indicated that the quality of information search an individual engages in mediates the relationship between problem construction engagement and creativity. The implications of this finding are discussed. |
