Mind wandering “Ahas” versus mindful reasoning: alternative routes to creative solutions

The relationship between mindfulness and creativity depends on the strategy used to solve problems. Across two studies, people higher in trait mindfulness performed worse overall on creative problem-solving tasks. However, when problems were approached analytically, more mindful individuals performed better. In contrast, when problems were approached through sudden insight, mindfulness impaired performance. The findings suggest that mindfulness may hinder insight-based creativity but can benefit analytical problem-solving.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Based on mixed results linking both mindfulness and its opposing construct mind wandering to enhanced creativity, we predicted that the relationship between mindfulness and creativity might depend on whether creative problems are approached through analytic strategy or through "insight" (i.e., sudden awareness of a solution). Study 1 investigated the relationship between trait mindfulness and compound remote associates problem solving as a function of participants' self-reported approach to each problem. The results revealed a negative relationship between mindfulness and problem-solving overall. However, more detailed analysis revealed that mindfulness was associated with impaired problem solving when approaching problems with insight, but increased problem solving when using analysis. In Study 2, we manipulated participants' problem-solving approach through instructions. We again found a negative relationship between mindfulness and creative performance in general, however, more mindful participants again performed better when instructed to approach problems analytically.