Effects of relevant and irrelevant primes on idea generation: A computational model

Brainstorming is the process of generating ideas in a specific task or problem context.We have previously presented a connectionist framework to study the dynamics of idea generation in individuals. In this paper, we develop this model further, and apply it to studying qualitatively the effects of priming on the process of ideation. Motivated by experimental data from a previous study, we explore the differential effects of relevant and irrelevant primes on productivity of idea generation in specific problem/task contexts. Simulations using our model suggest that even irrelevant primes can provide a modest productivity boost in contexts that are familiar or are similar to familiar contexts, but no benefit when the context is unfamiliar. We propose possible explanations for these results and make predictions for future experiments.