Researchers at the University of Arizona in the United States report that people with high creativity tend to spend their free moments exploring their own thoughts and entertaining a wide range of ideas. The study’s findings appear in the journal Creativity Research, signaling a growing interest in how creative minds operate when not tethered to specific tasks or prompts.
Historically, many studies on the human mind steer participants toward thinking about particular topics or toward reporting ideas that naturally come to mind under observation. The current researchers argue that this approach can constrain the results and may not reveal how creative thinking truly unfolds in everyday life.
To capture a more authentic glimpse of creative cognition, the study asked volunteers to spend ten minutes alone with no access to digital devices. During this quiet interval, participants completed a divergent thinking task designed to elicit originality rather than conformity. In a novel twist, they were prompted to respond aloud to the prompt: “How could 100 rubber bands be used to make money?” using a loud, intentionally nonstandard delivery to push beyond conventional ideas.
Quentin Raffaeli, a psychology graduate student who led the project, explained that the goal was to reveal what runs through the minds of creative individuals when they are unrestrained by external inputs or distractions. The emphasis was on open-ended thinking and spontaneous associations rather than guided reasoning or predictable responses.
The researchers analyzed the variety and depth of the ideas generated during the isolation period and observed that those with higher creativity tended to maintain a steady stream of distinct thoughts rather than experiencing boredom or lapsing into familiar patterns. An additional analysis pooled more than two thousand responses from creativity-focused participants collected during the pandemic, reinforcing the finding that creative individuals generally felt less bored when alone and had a richer internal dialogue during self-imposed isolation.
As dependence on screens and connected devices grows, these findings suggest a value in deliberately allocating time for reflective thinking. Understanding how different people approach thinking in the absence of external cues may open up practical avenues for enhancing mental well-being, cognitive flexibility, and problem-solving across diverse populations. The takeaway is not merely about idle time but about the potential health benefits that accompany a freer cognitive flow when digital interruptions are minimized.
Ancient perspectives on creativity have long hinted that progress stems from continuous exposure to ideas, travel, and learning, not from quick, pharmacological fixes. The current line of inquiry aligns with this tradition by highlighting cognitive processes that emerge when solitude is embraced and the mind is allowed to wander in a constructive way. The emphasis remains on mental exploration as a catalyst for innovation and personal growth, suggesting that cultivating environments that encourage unstructured thought can be a practical component of educational and professional development.