Picture-activated mood and creativity in online brainstorming: the roles of flexibility and persistence

Background: This study examined how mood (positive or negative) and presentation format (picture or text) influence idea generation during online brainstorming. Creativity was assessed by the number of unique ideas (fluency, defined as the total number of non-redundant ideas) generated, with participants brainstorming ways to improve parks. The research drew on the dual pathway-to-creativity model, emphasizing flexibility and persistence as key factors in creativity. Method: The participants were randomly assigned to one of four conditions: two mood types (positive or negative) and two presentation formats (picture or text). Creativity was measured by counting unique, nonrepetitive ideas and evaluating flexibility (number of unique categories of ideas). Persistence was also analyzed, calculated as the ratio of unique ideas to unique categories. Statistical tests were used to examine the main and interaction effects of mood, presentation format, and persistence on idea generation. Results: The participants exposed to pictures generated more unique ideas than those exposed to text, highlighting the presentation format’s impact on creativity. The positive mood participants outperformed the negative mood participants by generating more unique ideas and exhibiting greater flexibility, as measured by the number of distinct categories of ideas. Persistence played a moderating role, with high persistence in a positive mood condition leading to more unique ideas than medium or low persistence. However, there was no significant difference in idea generation between medium- and low-persistence participants in either mood condition. Conclusions: These findings are consistent with a possible mediating role of flexibility in the relationship between mood and creativity, as proposed by the dual pathway to creativity model. Exploratory analyses suggest that persistence may play a potential moderating role, with high persistence amplifying the effects of a positive mood on creativity. Future research should explore more visually engaging stimuli for online brainstorming and investigate the interplay of additional variables. The role of persistence as a mediator or moderator warrants further exploration.