1973/08/01 by Albert Rothenberg · 3 citations
Psychology · #Artificial intelligence #Association (psychology) #Cognitive psychology #Computer science #Consistency (knowledge bases) #Creativity #Creativity in Education and Neuroscience #Divergent thinking #Free association (psychology) #Language, Metaphor, and Cognition #Linguistics #Originality #Psychoanalysis #Psychology #Psychotherapist #Social psychology #Visual and Cognitive Learning Processes #Word (group theory) #Word Association
paper · doi:10.2466/pr0.1973.33.1.3
openalex publication_date 1973/08/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/05/21
The relationship between the tendency to opposite responding on word-association tests and creativity or originality was tested in this experiment. Standard word-association stimuli are administered individually to Ss identified as high and low in creativity, and responses are timed. That rapid opposite responding is significantly greater in highly creative Ss supports the hypothesis that the capacity to conceive and utilize one or more contradictory or opposite concepts, ideas or images simultaneously is associated with creativity (Janusian thinking). This finding also indicates that uncommon responses are not necessarily associated with creativity, as has been assumed in word-association originality studies, and it helps account for the lack of consistency in studies based on commonality of response.