Working memory and flexibility in creative thinking

The current study is focused on the relationship between working memory and flexibility of thinking (as one of Guilfordian components of divergent thinking). The empirical research consisted of two experiments that used an adaptation of the Figural Similarities Test (based on Guilford). Participants’ task was to search for as many classes composed of three figures (selected from a set of six figures) as possible. It was assumed that manipulation of the number of defining elements (visual complexity) would influence the load of the control system, whereas manipulation of the number of relations (relational complexity) - the load of working memory. Results show that visual complexity of the material loads the control system with the costs of inhibiting insignificant features of the stimulus. Whereas the relational complexity loads the storage mechanism with the necessity to maintain a greater number of relations. Moreover, this is compounded by the necessity to reduce complexity of the task, if the number of relations to consider resulting from the complexity of the stimulus (Experiment 1) or the number of relations that must be simultaneously taken into account (Experiment 2) exceeds cognitive bilities of the individual. Thus, the obtained results indicate complex relationships between WM and flexibility in divergent thinking