Creative potential, attention, and speed of information processing

Despite the conceptual overlap between intelligence and creativity, little systematic work exists on the link between creativity and speed of information processing. We hypothesized that differential focusing of attention determines the relationship between creative potential and speed of information processing. Supporting our predictions, we found negative correlations between creative potential and reaction time on tasks not involving interference (Hick Task, Concept Verification Task), but positive correlations between creative potential and reaction time on tasks requiring the inhibition of interfering information (Negative Priming, Global Precedence). This pattern of results suggests that the relation between creative potential and reaction time is a function of the differential focusing of attention.