ABSTRACT

It is well established that creativity can be stimulated by expanding the breadth of knowledge activation. In addition, some researchers have proposed that concept mapping can stimulate individuals into more flexible thinking processes. Based on the literature, three studies were conducted in the present research to systematically investigate whether concept mapping as a way of knowledge activation can increase individual performance in a widely used verbal divergent thinking task, the alternative uses task (AUT). As a first step, Study 1 investigated the relationship between individuals’ concept mapping ability and their AUT performance. Then, by means of experimental manipulation, Study 2 examined whether cross-links were an important element through which concept mapping facilitated AUT performance. Study 3 further examined whether dissociative ability (as an indicator of breadth of knowledge activation) mediated the relationship between cross-links and AUT performance. Taken together, the results indicated: 1) among the four indices of concept mapping ability (propositions, hierarchies, cross-links, and examples), propositions and cross-links showed positive associations with AUT performance; 2) cross-links were an important element through which concept mapping priming facilitated AUT performance; 3) dissociative ability fully mediated the relationship between cross-links and AUT fluency. Implications and future directions were discussed in detail.

摘要

众所周知，可以通过扩大知识激活的广度来激发创造力。此外，一些研究人员提出，概念图可以激发人们进行更灵活的思维过程。根据文献，在本研究中进行了三项研究，以系统地研究概念映射作为一种知识激活方式是否可以在广泛使用的言语发散性思维任务（替代使用任务，AUT）中提高个人表现。第一步，研究1研究了个人概念映射能力与其AUT绩效之间的关系。然后，通过实验操作，研究2检验了交叉链接是否是概念映射促进AUT性能的重要元素。研究3进一步检查了解离能力（作为知识激活范围的指标）是否介导了交叉链接和AUT性能之间的关系。两者合计，结果表明：1）在概念映射能力的四个指标（命题，层次结构，交叉链接和示例）中，命题和交叉链接与AUT性能呈正相关；2）交叉链接是一个重要的元素，概念映射初始化可通过这些元素促进AUT性能；3）解离能力完全介导了交联与AUT流畅性之间的关系。涵义和未来方向进行了详细讨论。1）在概念映射能力的四个指标（命题，层次结构，交叉链接和示例）中，命题和交叉链接与AUT性能呈正相关；2）交叉链接是重要的元素，概念映射引发通过这些链接可以提高AUT性能；3）解离能力完全介导了交联与AUT流畅性之间的关系。涵义和未来方向进行了详细讨论。1）在概念映射能力的四个指标（命题，层次结构，交叉链接和示例）中，命题和交叉链接与AUT性能呈正相关；2）交叉链接是一个重要的元素，概念映射初始化可通过这些元素促进AUT性能；3）解离能力完全介导了交联与AUT流畅性之间的关系。涵义和未来方向进行了详细讨论。