ERIC Number: EJ851615
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2009-Aug
Pages: 8
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1871-1871
EISSN: N/A
Exploring the Nature of Divergent Thinking: A Multilevel Analysis
Kuhn, Jorg-Tobias; Holling, Heinz
Thinking Skills and Creativity, v4 n2 p116-123 Aug 2009
In this study, a large sample with a clustered data structure from an educational context was utilized to analyze the relationship between cognitive abilities, school type, gender, and divergent thinking. The sample comprised 1098 students in 55 classrooms. A sequence of nested multilevel regression analyses revealed that processing capacity, as a core component of intelligence, as well as processing speed shared a significant amount of variance with divergent thinking. Additionally, school type affected divergent thinking even when controlling for intellectual abilities. Furthermore, a significant gender difference in divergent thinking favouring females was found. Gender differences as well as the effect of processing capacity and processing speed varied across classrooms, reflecting differences in the classroom environment. The nature of the relationships of cognitive and social factors to divergent thinking was considered. (Contains 1 figure and 3 tables.)
Descriptors: Creative Thinking, Cognitive Ability, Gender Differences, Educational Environment, Multiple Regression Analysis, Students
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A