Testing Einstein's faux formula: fast computers+slow humans=creative brilliance

Gary M. Kern and Steven M. Dunphy

Behaviour and Information Technology, 2014, vol. 33, issue 6, 656-662

Abstract: An experiment was designed for the purpose of testing the proposition that creative decision-making can be greatly improved by making use of the personal computer to solve a set of word anagrams serving as hints to a surprise phrase. The authors hypothesised that the experimental condition of students using various unscramble word jumble websites would significantly outperform the control group of students who attempted to unscramble the words and solve the surprise answer by hand. Results were mixed and the authors conclude that certain types of creative problem solving exercises might benefit more from the innate abilities and talents of the participants rather than the speed and accuracy of the computer.

Date: 2014
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DOI: 10.1080/0144929X.2013.822019

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