Effects of Social Reinforcement Contingent on Conventional or Unconventional Responses on Generalized Creativity by Older Adults

Abstract

The effects of social reinforcement contingent on usual (conventional) or unusual (unconventional) responses during an object uses task on measures of generalized creativity in older adults living in residential care settings were assessed in two novel tasks. In a counterbalanced within-subjects design, 20 participants completed both experimental conditions across two sessions. Results suggest that social reinforcement contingent on unconventional responses during the initial task was associated with increases in both objective and subjective measures of creativity. These findings are consistent with Eisenberger's learned industriousness theory (Eisenberger, 1992), and indicate that contingent social reinforcement can increase generalized creativity in older adults living in residential care environments.