Introduction
Research Topic
In their article “How does emotion influence different creative performances? The mediating role of cognitive flexibility,” Lin et al. (2013) explore the role of cognitive flexibility in mediating how positive emotions enhance creative performance. The research topic sets the context for a more explicit research problem.
Research Problem
The study outlines the problem by establishing the issue that has necessitated the research and how to solve it. In this context, the authors discovered that the existing research conflated cognitive flexibility and creativity measures and failed to distinguish how positive effects influence distinct types of creative performance, necessitating this new research.
Research Questions/Hypothesis
The study has included hypotheses to guide the audience toward the possible research outcome. The research hypothesizes that “only positive affect, not affect per se, could improve closed-ended insight problem solving, but not open-ended divergent thinking, through the mediation of cognitive flexibility.”
Review of Literature
The article lacks a distinctive title for its literature review, making it difficult for the readers to know where it begins or ends, which may be confusing for some. However, all cited sources are relevant to the study because they discuss different perspectives on the research title. In addition, the review is comprehensive and covers existing studies linked to the research topic. Nevertheless, most references used in the study are old, with some dating as early as 1956. The challenge of using outdated sources is that some information may be obsolete, hence becoming irrelevant to the study. There is no evidence of any bias in the literature review because the authors only analyzed various viewpoints of past studies on the research topic, increasing the study’s credibility.
Methods
Although the research methodology is experimental, particularly a randomized controlled design, it is not highlighted in the study. In addition, the authors extensively discuss both dependent and independent variables to help the readers understand the relationship between the phenomena under study. According to the study, the independent variables are affect induction and creativity type. Alternatively, the dependent variables include emotional state ratings, switch task reaction times, arousal levels, and divergent thinking test and insight problem task performance.
The study also outlines how sampling was conducted and the experiment performed. In this case, the research involved 120 participants, a good sample size for more conclusive findings, making the study more credible and generalizable (Lin et al., 2013). Nevertheless, the authors fail to mention the inclusion and exclusion criteria when selecting the target group.
Similarly, the study analyzes the various measurement tools, such as switch tasks and checklists, to determine various phenomena under investigation, increasing its credibility. Furthermore, the research outlines the procedures’ structure, clarifying how the experiment was conducted. In this case, the participants first watched a film and assessed their emotional state using a checklist. Additionally, they performed a switch task to evaluate their cognitive flexibility and later completed either a divergent thinking test or an insight problem task.
Although the study utilizes ANOVA for its data analysis, the data analysis section does not explicitly mention it. In addition, the authors fail to indicate whether the research is qualitative or quantitative. However, due to the use of ANOVA, it is clear that the research used quantitative data. Based on the study, the findings support the hypothesis and purpose, making the research relevant and credible. Nevertheless, the authors failed to indicate the limitations and problems encountered in their study.
Results and Conclusions
The study’s results indicate that only positive affect could enhance cognitive flexibility. Generally, despite its weaknesses, the research successfully relayed relevant information on the chosen topic. It was well-structured, with clear headings that increased its readability for the readers. Additionally, the conclusions and findings were related to the study’s purpose. Although the authors fail to discuss the study’s implications or recommendations, the research is incredibly informative to the general population and scientists. Therefore, I recommend the article to parents and the general population because it provides insights into how emotions impact creativity.
Reference
Lin, W.-L., Tsai, P.-H., Lin, H.-Y., & Chen, H.-C. (2013). How does emotion influence different creative performances? The mediating role of cognitive flexibility. Cognition and Emotion, 28(5), 834–844. Web.