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. 2022 Jun;92(2):e12459.
doi: 10.1111/bjep.12459. Epub 2021 Sep 8.

Creativity in mathematics performance: The role of divergent and convergent thinking

Isabelle C de Vink  1 , Robin H Willemsen  1 , Ard W Lazonder  1 , Evelyn H Kroesbergen  1
Affiliations

Creativity in mathematics performance: The role of divergent and convergent thinking

Isabelle C de Vink et al. Br J Educ Psychol. 2022 Jun.

Abstract

Background: Creativity requires both divergent and convergent thinking. Previous research established that divergent thinking relates to mathematics performance, but generally ignored the role of convergent thinking and, hence, leaves it unclear how both might interact when children work on mathematical tasks. This study addressed this paucity in the research literature, with the goal of improving our understanding of the role of creative thinking in primary school mathematics.

Aims: This study examined how divergent and convergent thinking contribute to mathematics performance, both directly and jointly, on single- and multiple-solution tasks.

Sample: The study was conducted with 229 Dutch fifth graders of 12 primary schools.

Method: Divergent and convergent thinking were measured with a visual and verbal task. Path analysis was used including verbal and visual divergent and convergent thinking tasks in relation to single- and multiple-solution mathematics task performance. Working memory was included as a covariate.

Results: Verbal convergent thinking positively predicted single- and multiple-solution task performance. Verbal divergent and convergent thinking interacted in relation to single-solution task performance, while visual divergent and convergent thinking interacted in relation to multiple-solution task performance.

Conclusions: Children's mathematics performance mainly relies on convergent thinking. The role of divergent thinking is twofold: it complements convergent thinking on multiple-solution tasks and compensates convergent thinking on single-solution tasks.

Keywords: convergent thinking; creativity; divergent thinking; mathematics.

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Conflict of interest statement

All authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Standardized factor loadings for the confirmatory factor analysis. Note. MST = multiple‐solution task performance (task 1, 2 & 3), flu = fluency, flex = flexibility, or = originality. Note. *p < .05, **p < .01. Since each first factor loading is scaled to 1 (standardized values can vary from this value) to aid interpretation, no significance can be determined for these loadings.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Standardized path coefficients and factor loadings for the path model, including direct and interaction effects for divergent and convergent thinking and working memory as a covariate. For clarity, covariances between exogenous variables are excluded from this picture. Note. DT = divergent thinking, CT = convergent thinking, Ver = verbal, Vis = visual, WM = working memory, MST = multiple‐solution task performance (task 1, 2 & 3), SST = single‐solution task performance, flu = fluency, flex = flexibility, or = originality. *p < .05, **p < .01.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Interaction effect for verbal divergent and convergent thinking with SST performance. The red line indicates mean divergent thinking performance, the blue line indicates performance one standard deviation below the mean, and the green line performance one standard deviation above the mean. SST = single‐solution task performance.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Interaction effect for visual divergent and convergent thinking with MST performance. The red line indicates mean divergent thinking performance, the blue line indicates performance one standard deviation below the mean, and the green line indicates performance one standard deviation above the mean.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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