"The (Dis)Pleasures of Creativity: Spontaneous Eye Blink Rate during Divergent and Convergent Thinking Depends on Individual Differences in Positive and Negative Affect" by Alwin de Rooij and Ruben D. Vromans

Summary

This research paper investigates the relationship between spontaneous eye blink rate (sEBR) and creative thinking, specifically divergent and convergent thinking. The study examines how individual differences in positive and negative affect influence this relationship. Using the Alternative Uses Task (AUT) for divergent thinking and the Remote Associates Task (RAT) for convergent thinking, alongside an eye-tracker to measure sEBR, the researchers found that positive affect correlated with higher sEBR during divergent thinking, while negative affect correlated with higher sEBR during convergent thinking. Crucially, the interaction between affect and sEBR predicted performance on both thinking tasks, highlighting the importance of considering individual emotional states when studying creativity.