Premium
Divergent thinking in arts and science students: The effect of item content
Author(s) -
Webster Michelle A.,
Walker M. B.
Publication year - 1981
Publication title -
british journal of psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.536
H-Index - 92
eISSN - 2044-8295
pISSN - 0007-1269
DOI - 10.1111/j.2044-8295.1981.tb02192.x
Subject(s) - psychology , fluency , the arts , divergent thinking , content (measure theory) , test (biology) , mathematics education , scientific thinking , social psychology , cognitive psychology , creativity , visual arts , art , mathematical analysis , paleontology , mathematics , biology
Two four‐item tests of divergent thinking were developed. Both included the item types: uses, similarities, consequences and instances. The first test concerned non‐scientific objects while the second concerned objects that were of specific interest to engineers. One hundred and thirty‐nine engineering students and 94 business studies students took both tests. Using a fluency measure of divergent thinking it was shown that item content has a significant effect on divergent production. The result casts doubt on the validity of previous studies which have found that arts students are better able to think divergently than science students.