Fleck A, Wöllner T (2020)
Publication Language: English
Publication Type: Book chapter / Article in edited volumes
Publication year: 2020
Publisher: De Gruyter Studies in Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Edited Volumes: Gender Differences in Technology and Innovation Management - Insights from Experimental Research
City/Town: München
Pages Range: 7-28
ISBN: 978-3-11-059079-1
DOI: 10.1515/9783110593952-002
Examples that are provided before or during the problem-solving process can influence idea production on the individual level. However, there are situations in which the presentation of examples can have a negative, counterproductive effect on the outcome of cognitive processing because previously generated ideas interfere with the ability to generate new ones. This inhibition of creating new solutions because of previous ideas is called the “fixation effect”. Studies have already proven that the fixation effect varies with the age, academic background or experience of an individual. However, differences in the fixation effect between men and women have yet to be investigated. Therefore, this paper seeks to answer the following research question: Are there differences between women and men when they are exposed to potential solutions to a creative task which could lead to the fixation effect? An empirical study with 80 test subjects was conducted in which the impact of visual and verbal impulses during the idea generation phase on creativity was tested. The results indicate that gender differences in the fixation effect exist: Exposure to potential solutions to a creative task, influences men more than women. Since this paper presents a first approach at addressing gender differences within the field of fixation, implications for further research are proposed in the end as well.
APA:
Fleck, A., & Wöllner, T. (2020). The Impact of Examples on Creativity: Gender Differences in Fixation Effects. In Brem A., Bican P., Wimschneider C. (Eds.), Gender Differences in Technology and Innovation Management - Insights from Experimental Research. (pp. 7-28). München: De Gruyter Studies in Innovation and Entrepreneurship.
MLA:
Fleck, Alexandra, and Theresa Wöllner. "The Impact of Examples on Creativity: Gender Differences in Fixation Effects." Gender Differences in Technology and Innovation Management - Insights from Experimental Research. Ed. Brem A., Bican P., Wimschneider C., München: De Gruyter Studies in Innovation and Entrepreneurship, 2020. 7-28.
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