Working Memory and Divergent Thinking: The Moderating Role of Field-Dependent-Independent Cognitive Style in Adolescence
Abstract
:1. Introduction
1.1. Working Memory Capacity and Divergent Thinking
1.2. Field-Dependent-Independent Cognitive Style and Divergent Thinking
1.3. The Moderating Role of Field-Dependent-Independent Cognitive Style
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Participants and Procedure
2.2. Measures
2.3. Statistical Analysis
3. Results
4. Discussion
5. Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Conflicts of Interest
References
- Cheng, V.M.Y. Developing individual creativity for environmental sustainability: Using an everyday theme in higher education. Think. Skills Creat. 2019, 33, 100567. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Palmiero, M.; Piccardi, L.; Nori, R.; Palermo, L.; Salvi, C.; Guariglia, C. Editorial: Creativity: Education and rehabilitation. Front. Psychol. 2019, 10, 1500. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Runco, M.A.; Acar, S. Divergent thinking as an indicator of creative potential. Creat. Res. J. 2012, 24, 66–75. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Giancola, M.; Palmiero, M.; Bocchi, A.; Piccardi, L.; Nori, R.; D’Amico, S. Divergent thinking in Italian elementary school children: The key role of probabilistic reasoning style. Cogn. Process. 2022, 23, 637–645. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Guilford, J.P. The Nature of Human Intelligence; McGraw-Hill: New York, NY, USA, 1967. [Google Scholar]
- Giancola, M.; Palmiero, M.; D’Amico, S. Divergent but not convergent thinking mediates the trait emotional intelligence-real-world creativity link: An empirical study. Creat. Res. J. 2022, 1–9. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Benedek, M.; Jauk, E. Spontaneous and controlled processes in creative cognition. In The Oxford Handbook of Spontaneous Thought Mind-Wandering, Creativity, and Dreaming; Fox, K.C.R., Christoff, K., Eds.; Oxford University Press: New York, NY, USA, 2018; pp. 285–298. [Google Scholar]
- Beaty, R.E.; Kenett, Y.N.; Christensen, A.P.; Rosenberg, M.D.; Benedek, M.; Chen, Q.; Fink, A.; Qiu, J.; Kwapil, T.R.; Kane, M.J.; et al. Robust prediction of individual creative ability from brain functional connectivity. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 2018, 115, 1087–1092. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Ovando-Tellez, M.P.; Bieth, T.; Bernard, M.; Volle, E. The contribution of the lesion approach to the neuroscience of creative cognition. Curr. Opin. Behav. Sci. 2019, 27, 100–108. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Vartanian, O. Brain and neuropsychology. In Encyclopedia of Creativity; Runco, M.A., Pritzker, S., Eds.; Academic Press: San Diego, CA, USA, 2011; pp. 164–169. [Google Scholar]
- Witkin, H.A.; Moore, C.A.; Goodenough, D.R.; Cox, P.W. Field-dependent and field-independent cognitive styles and their educational implications. Rev. Educ. Res. 1977, 47, 1–64. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Giancola, M.; Palmiero, M.; D’Amico, S. Exploring the interplay between fluid intelligence and creativity: The mediating role of the field-dependent-independent cognitive style. Think. Skills Creat. 2022, 45, 101047. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Li, S.; Zhou, Y. The influence of individual cognitive style and material complexity on visuo-spatial working memory. Acta Psychol. Sinica 2006, 38, 523–531. [Google Scholar]
- Sternberg, R.J.; Lubart, T.I. An investment theory of creativity and its development. Hum. Dev. 1991, 34, 1–31. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Giancola, M.; Palmiero, M.; Piccardi, L.; D’Amico, S. The contribution of planning to real-world creativity: The moderating role of agreeableness. Think. Skills Creat. 2021, 41, 100890. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Barbot, B.; Heuser, B. Creativity and identity formation in adolescence: A developmental perspective. In The Creative Self: Effect of Beliefs, Self-Efficacy, Mindset, and Identity; Karwowski, M., Kaufman, J.C., Eds.; NL Elsevier Academic Press: Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 2017; pp. 87–98. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Gómez, C.M.; Barriga-Paulino, C.I.; Rodríguez-Martínez, E.I.; Rojas-Benjumea, M.Á.; Arjona, A.; Gómez-González, J. The neurophysiology of working memory development: From childhood to adolescence and young adulthood. Rev. Neurosci. 2018, 29, 261–282. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Kerns, J.G. Anterior cingulate and prefrontal cortex activity in an FMRI study of trial-to-trial adjustments on the Simon task. Neuroimage 2006, 33, 399–405. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Amador-Campos, J.A.; Kirchner-Nebot, T. Relations of scores on Children’s Embedded Figures Test with age, item difficulty and internal consistency. Percept. Mot. Skills 1997, 85, 675–682. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Baddeley, A.D.; Hitch, G.J. Working memory. In The Psychology of Learning and Motivation: Advances in Research and Theory; Bower, G.H., Ed.; Academic Press: New York, NY, USA, 1974; Volume 8, pp. 47–89. [Google Scholar]
- Stedron, J.M.; Sahni, S.D.; Munakata, Y. Common mechanisms for working memory and attention: The case of perseveration with visible solutions. J. Cogn. Neurosci. 2005, 17, 623–631. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Diamond, A. Executive functions. Ann. Rev. Psychol. 2013, 64, 135–168. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Dygert, S.K.C.; Jarosz, A.F. Individual differences in creative cognition. J. Exp. Psychol. Gen. 2020, 149, 1249–1274. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Smeekens, B.A.; Kane, M.J. Working memory capacity, mind wandering, and creative cognition: An individual-differences investigation into the benefits of controlled versus spontaneous thought. Psychol. Aesthet. Creat. Arts 2016, 10, 389–415. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Takeuchi, H.; Taki, Y.; Hashizume, H.; Sassa, Y.; Nagase, T.; Nouchi, R.; Kawashima, R. Failing to deactivate: The association between brain activity during a working memory task and creativity. Neuroimage 2011, 55, 681–687. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Fugate, C.M.; Zentall, S.S.; Gentry, M. Creativity and working memory in gifted students with and without characteristics of attention deficit hyperactive disorder: Lifting the mask. Gift. Child Q. 2013, 57, 234–246. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Furley, P.; Memmert, D. Creativity and working memory capacity in sports: Working memory capacity is not a limiting factor in creative decision making amongst skilled performers. Front. Psychol. 2015, 6, 115. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- De Dreu, C.K.W.; Nijstad, B.A.; Baas, M.; Wolsink, I.; Roskes, M. Working memory benefits creative insight, musical improvisation, and original ideation through maintained task-focused attention. Pers. Soc. Psychol. Bull. 2012, 38, 656–669. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Leder, J.; Hausser, J.A.; Krumm, S.; Germar, M.; Schlemmer, A.; Kaiser, S.; Kalis, A.; Mojzisch, A. The cognitive underpinning of option generation in everyday life decision-making: A latent variable analysis. Cogn. Sci. 2018, 42, 2562–2591. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Orzechowski, J.; Gruszka, A.; Michalik, K. The impact of working memory on divergent thinking flexibility. Think. Reason. 2022, 1–20. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Palmiero, M.; Nakatani, C.; Raver, D.; Olivetti Belardinelli, M.; van Leeuwen, C. Abilities within and across visual and verbal domains: How specific is their influence on creativity? Creat. Res. J. 2010, 22, 369–377. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Krumm, G.; Arán Filippetti, V.; Gutierrez, M. The contribution of executive functions to creativity in children: What is the role of crystallized and fluid Intelligence? Think. Skills Creat. 2018, 29, 185–195. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Lee, C.S.; Therriault, D.J. The cognitive underpinnings of creative thought: A latent variable analysis exploring the roles of intelligence and working memory in three creative thinking processes. Intelligence 2013, 41, 306–320. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Hao, N.; Yuan, H.; Cheng, R.; Wang, Q.; Runco, M.A. Interaction effect of response medium and working memory capacity on creative idea generation. Front. Psychol. 2015, 6, 1582. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Teng, J.; Shen, W.; Hao, N. The role of cognitive control in divergent thinking. Adv. Psychol. Sci. 2018, 26, 411–422. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Lu, R.; Zhang, Y.; Bao, N.; Su, M.; Zhang, X.; Shi, J. Visuospatial, rather than verbal working memory capacity plays a key role in verbal and figural creativity. Think. Reason. 2022, 28, 29–60. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Wilhelm, O.; Hildebrandt, A.; Oberauer, K. What is working memory capacity, and how can we measure it? Front. Psychol. 2013, 4, 433. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Ecker, U.K.; Lewandowsky, S.; Oberauer, K.; Chee, A.E. The components of working memory updating: An experimental decomposition and individual differences. J. Exp. Psychol. Learn. Mem. Cogn. 2010, 36, 170. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Benedek, M.; Jauk, E.; Sommer, M.; Arendasy, M.; Neubauer, A.C. Intelligence, creativity, and cognitive control: The common and differential involvement of executive functions in intelligence and creativity. Intelligence 2014, 46, 73–83. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Weiss, S.; Steger, D.; Kaur, Y.; Hildebrandt, A.; Schroeders, U.; Wilhelm, O. On the trail of creativity: Dimensionality of divergent thinking and its relations with cognitive abilities, personality and insight. Eur. J. Personal. 2021, 35, 291–314. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Zabalina, D.L.; Friedman, N.P.; Andrews-Hanna, J. Unity and diversity of executive functions in creativity. Conscious. Cogn. 2019, 68, 47–56. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Lin, W.L.; Lien, Y.W. The different role of working memory in open-ended versus closed-ended creative problem solving: A dual-process theory account. Creat. Res. J. 2013, 25, 85–96. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Takeuchi, H.; Taki, Y.; Nouchi, R.; Yokoyama, R.; Kotozaki, Y.; Nakagawa, S.; Sekiguchi, A.; Iizuka, K.; Hanawa, S.; Araki, T.; et al. Originality of divergent thinking is associated with working memory–related brain activity: Evidence from a large sample study. Neuroimage 2020, 261, 116825. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Vartanian, O.; Jobidon, M.E.; Bouak, F.; Nkashima, A.; Smith, I.; Lam, Q.; Cheung, B. Working memory training is associated with lower prefrontal cortex activation in a divergent thinking task. Neuroscience 2013, 236, 186–194. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Vally, Z.; Salloum, L.; AlQedra, D.; El Shazly, S.; Albloshi, M.; Alsheraifi, S.; Alkaabi, A. Examining the effects of creativity training on creative production, creative self-efficacy, and neuro-executive functioning. Think. Skills Creat. 2019, 31, 70–78. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Riding, R.; Rayner, S. Cognitive Styles and Learning Strategies: Understanding Style Differences in Learning and Behavior; David Fulton Publishers: London, UK, 2013. [Google Scholar]
- Giancola, M.; Palmiero, M.; D’Amico, S. Field dependent–independent cognitive style and creativity from the process and product-oriented approaches: A systematic review. Creat. Stud. 2022, 15, 542–559. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Spotts, J.V.; Mackler, B. Relationships of field-dependent and field-independent cognitive styles to creative test performance. Percept. Mot. Skills 1967, 24, 239–268. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Niaz, M.; De Nunez, G.S.; De Pineda, I.R. Academic performance of high school students as a function of mental capacity, cognitive style, mobility-fixity dimension, and creativity. J. Creat. Behav. 2000, 34, 18–29. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Giancola, M.; Palmiero, M.; Piccardi, L.; D’amico, S. The relationships between cognitive styles and creativity: The role of field dependence-independence on visual creative production. Behav. Sci. 2022, 12, 212. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Li, C.; Mu, X.; Tan, Y.; Gu, C.; Hu, B.Y.; Fan, C. Do field-dependent individuals tend to have lower creativity than field-independent ones? The role of informational cues in electronic brainstorming. Interact. Learn. Environ. 2023, 31, 1106–1125. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Lei, W.; Deng, W.; Zhu, R.; Runco, M.A.; Dai, D.Y.; Hu, W. Does cognitive style moderate expected evaluation and adolescents’ creative performance: An empirical study. J. Creat. Behav. 2021, 55, 120–129. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Baranovska, A.; Petlak, E.; Doktorova, D. Relationship between dimensions of creativity, dependency and independency from the field, need and ability to achieve cognitive closure. Ad Alta J. Interdisci. Res. 2017, 7, 14–19. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Messick, S. The nature of cognitive styles: Problems and promise in educational practice. Educ. Psychol. 1984, 19, 59–74. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Lovano-Kerr, J. Cognitive style revisited: Implications for research in art production and art criticism. Stud. Art Educ. 1983, 24, 195–205. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Witkin, H.A.; Goodenough, D.R. Cognitive styles: Essence and origins. Field-dependence and field-independence. Psychol. Issues 1981, 51, 1–141. [Google Scholar]
- Miyake, A.; Friedman, N.P.; Rettinger, D.A.; Shah, P.; Hegarty, M. How are visuospatial working memory, executive functioning, and spatial abilities related? A latent-variable analysis. J. Exp. Psychol. Gen. 2001, 130, 621–640. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Guisande, M.A.; Páramo, M.F.; Tinajero, C.; Almeida, L.S. Field dependence-independence (FDI) cognitive style: An analysis of attentional functioning. Psicothema 2007, 19, 572–577. [Google Scholar] [PubMed]
- Al-enezi, D.F. A Study of Learning Mathematics Related to Some Cognitive Factors and to Attitudes. Unpublished Doctoral Dissertation, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland, 2008. [Google Scholar]
- Orsini, A.; Grossi, D.; Capitani, E.; Laiacona, M.; Papagno, C.; Vallar, G. Verbal and spatial immediate memory span: Normative data from 1355 adults and 1112 children. Ital. J. Neurol. Sci. 1987, 8, 537–548. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Fogliani, T.; Di Nuovo, S.; Fogliani, A.M.; Pizzamiglio, L. Dipendenza dal Campo e Stile Cognitivo: Gli Embedded Figures Tests di H. Witkin, PK Oltman, E. Raskin e SA Karp; Organizzazioni Speciali: Firenze, Italy, 1984. [Google Scholar]
- Sprini, G.; Tomasello, S. Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking (Test di Pensiero Creativo); Giunti OS Organizzazioni Speciali: Firenze, Italy, 1989. [Google Scholar]
- Runco, M.A.; Millar, G.; Acar, S.; Cramond, B. Torrance tests of creative thinking as predictors of personal and public achievement: A fifty year follow-up. Creat. Res. J. 2010, 22, 361–368. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Hayes, A.F. Introduction to Mediation, Moderation, and Conditional Process Analysis: A Regression-Based Approach; Guilford Publications: New York, NY, USA, 2017. [Google Scholar]
- Preacher, K.J.; Hayes, A.F. Asymptotic and resampling strategies for assessing and comparing indirect effects in multiple mediator models. Behav. Res. Methods 2008, 40, 879–891. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Giancola, M.; Palmiero, M.; D’Amico, S. Social sustainability in late adolescence: Trait Emotional Intelligence mediates the impact of the Dark Triad on Altruism and Equity. Front. Psychol. 2022, 13, 257. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Giancola, M.; Palmiero, M.; D’Amico, S. Dark Triad and COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy: The role of conspiracy beliefs and risk perception. Curr. Psychol. 2023, 1–13. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Giancola, M.; Pino, M.C.; Riccio, V.; Piccardi, L.; D’Amico, S. Preschoolers’ Perceptual Analogical Reasoning and Map Reading: A Preliminary Study on the Mediating Effect of Spatial Language. Children 2023, 10, 630. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Giancola, M.; Bocchi, A.; Palmiero, M.; De Grossi, I.; Piccardi, L.; D’Amico, S. Examining cognitive determinants of planning future routine events: A pilot study in school-age Italian children (Análisis de los determinantes cognitivos de la planificación de eventos de rutina futuros: Un estudio piloto con niños italianos en edad escolar). Stud. Psychol. 2023, 44, 1–26. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Giancola, M. Who complies with prevention guidelines during the fourth wave of COVID-19 in Italy? An empirical study. Pers. Individ. Differ. 2022, 199, 111845. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Bollen, K.A.; Stine, R. Direct and indirect effects: Classical and bootstrap estimates of variability. Sociol. Methodol. 1990, 20, 115–140. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Boccia, M.; Piccardi, L.; Di Marco, M.; Pizzamiglio, L.; Guariglia, C. Does field independence predict visuo-spatial abilities underpinning human navigation? Behavioural evidence. Exp. Brain Res. 2016, 234, 2799–2807. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Li, H.; Zhang, Y.; Wu, C.; Mei, D. Effects of field dependence-independence and frame of reference on navigation performance using multi-dimensional electronic maps. Pers. Individ. Differ. 2016, 97, 289–299. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Matheson, H.E.; Kenett, Y.N. The role of the motor system in generating creative thoughts. NeuroImage 2020, 213, 116697. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Stevens, J.A. Interference effects demonstrate distinct roles for visual and motor imagery during the mental representation of human action. Cognition 2005, 95, 329–350. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Finke, R.A.; Ward, T.B.; Smith, S.M. Creative Cognition: Theory, Research, and Applications; The MIT Press: Cambridge, MA, USA, 1992. [Google Scholar]
M | SD | 1. | 2. | 3. | 4. | 5. | 6. | 7. | 8. | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. Age | 18.88 | 0.32 | 1 | |||||||
2. Gender | −0.19 | 1 | ||||||||
3. WMC | 4.83 | 1.09 | 0.04 | −0.09 | 1 | |||||
4. FDI | 36.76 | 14.60 | −0.08 | 0.05 | −0.30 ** | 1 | ||||
5. DT-Fluency | 9.98 | 5.00 | 0.09 | −0.07 | −0.08 | −0.19 | 1 | |||
6. DT-Flexibility | 6.73 | 2.69 | 0.09 | −0.02 | −0.13 | −0.12 | 0.84 ** | 1 | ||
7. DT-Originality | 9.11 | 6.06 | 0.07 | −0.01 | −0.06 | −0.16 | 0.80 ** | 0.76 ** | 1 | |
8. DT-Total score | 25.82 | 12.89 | 0.08 | −0.03 | −0.09 | −0.16 | 0.95 ** | 0.91 ** | 0.93 ** | 1 |
B | SE | t | LLCI | ULCI | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
WMC | −0.24 | 0.28 | −0.83 | −0.815 | 0.332 |
FDI | −0.02 | 0.02 | −1.08 | −0.068 | 0.020 |
WMC × FDI | 0.06 | 0.02 | 2.58 | 0.014 | 0.108 |
R2 = 0.16 | |||||
F(3, 96) = 5.90 *** |
Disclaimer/Publisher’s Note: The statements, opinions and data contained in all publications are solely those of the individual author(s) and contributor(s) and not of MDPI and/or the editor(s). MDPI and/or the editor(s) disclaim responsibility for any injury to people or property resulting from any ideas, methods, instructions or products referred to in the content. |
© 2023 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Share and Cite
Giancola, M.; D’Amico, S.; Palmiero, M. Working Memory and Divergent Thinking: The Moderating Role of Field-Dependent-Independent Cognitive Style in Adolescence. Behav. Sci. 2023, 13, 397. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs13050397
Giancola M, D’Amico S, Palmiero M. Working Memory and Divergent Thinking: The Moderating Role of Field-Dependent-Independent Cognitive Style in Adolescence. Behavioral Sciences. 2023; 13(5):397. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs13050397
Chicago/Turabian StyleGiancola, Marco, Simonetta D’Amico, and Massimiliano Palmiero. 2023. "Working Memory and Divergent Thinking: The Moderating Role of Field-Dependent-Independent Cognitive Style in Adolescence" Behavioral Sciences 13, no. 5: 397. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs13050397
APA StyleGiancola, M., D’Amico, S., & Palmiero, M. (2023). Working Memory and Divergent Thinking: The Moderating Role of Field-Dependent-Independent Cognitive Style in Adolescence. Behavioral Sciences, 13(5), 397. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs13050397