Enhancing creativity through aesthetics-integrated computer-based training: The effectiveness of a FACE approach and exploration of moderators

Abstract

The majority of creativity enrichment research has focused on creative skills pertaining to originality which is assessed by divergent thinking tests. This study aimed to explore a new-paradigm for creativity enhancement—improving creativity through the FACE (Feedback, Aesthetic experience, Creative design, and Evaluation of designed products) computer-based training program in which aesthetic experience and 3-D creative design were incorporated. Moreover, possible moderators such as emotional creativity (EC) and desire for aesthetics (DA) were investigated during the training. In concurrence with these endeavors, 76 college students participated in a control-group experimental design study investigating the effectiveness of the FACE training; it was invented to promote cognitive aesthetic enhancement and improve creative performance on a 3-D coffee shop design. In addition, inventories regarding emotional creativity (EC) and desire for aesthetics (DA) were employed. The findings suggest that the employed training program enhanced college students’ aesthetic understanding, and further improved their creativity through both conscious and unconscious processes. Notably, training that included constructive feedback led to better learning effects than the condition that included informational feedback. Furthermore, emotional creativity (EC) and desire for aesthetics (DA) played moderating roles during the learning process of creativity. This study provides a new archetype for improving creativity and the results support the possibility and importance of integrating aesthetics and creativity enhancement in computer based learning systems for modern educational methods.