The article “Information Technology Use and Creativity: Finding from the Children and Technology Project” by Lina A. Jackson, Edward A. Witt, Alexander Ivan Games, Hiram E. Fitzgerald, Alexander von Eye, and Yong Zhao from Michigan State University sought to answer if there is a relationship between children’s technology use and creativity. An independent variable in this empirical study were four hundred and ninety-one twelve-year-old kids. Approximately fifty-three percent of the sample was female, thirty-four percent were African American, and sixty-six percent were Caucasian American.
Another independent variable was the amount of time each child spent using various form of technology. The dependent variable was the level of creativity each kid had. In order to measure the level of creativity, the researchers used the Torrance Test of Creativity which is deemed to be one of the most reliable measures of a child’s creativity. The study started off with the distribution of surveys which measured the child’s technology usage from four different realms: computer use, internet use, videogame playing, and cell phone use.
This was done by using a seven-point scale which rated the amount of usage for each category with one being not at all and seven being everyday for more than three hours. Then, the children creativity levels were measured through two open ended creative scenarios. The responses were then “coded” through the use of scales suggested by the Torrance Test such as flexibility and elaboration. These codes follow a three-point scale based on the category being looked at. The outcome of this empirical study found that only videogame playing has a relationship with levels of creativity.
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Computer, internet, and cell phone use were not found to have any relationship with creativity in this study. The outcome does support the research hypothesis because there is a relationship between videogame playing, a form of technological use, and creativity levels in children. Though this finding is a positive correlation, it does not imply a causal relationship. As stated within the article, “It is important to point out that our research is correlational and therefore cannot establish cause-effect relationships.” This means that even though there is a relationship, videogame playing cannot be identified as the sole reason for increased creativity levels.
This form of research was a correlation study rather than an experiment study. A correlation study finds the significance of a relationship between two variables with limited control variables. Experiment studies follow a strict path that controls all possible variables in order to find a causal relationship. Now that a correlation was found, an experimental study should be conducted in the future in order to identify a causal relationship, if there even is one.
The popular press article “Research: Video Games Help with Creativity in Boys and Girls” by Mike Snider discusses the findings of the Children and Technology Project in a simplified way. It also features findings from other researches that pertain to internet use and reading scores. Though there are causal claims in this article, it goes on to explain that there is more research to be done.
Snider uses a causal claim to catch the reader’s attention, but fortunately goes on to explain the research between technology and creativity. The article starts off with a causal statement, “Here’s another reason to include The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword on those holiday shopping lists: children who play video games are more creative.” This is not true. It oversimplifies the findings of the empirical study discussed earlier into a cause and effect relationship. Videogame playing, solely, was not found to increase levels of creativity.
There was a relationship found, and this article is clearly exploiting that. Despite this initial inaccuracy, the article goes on to describe the research very well. In fact, it even discusses how further research is needed to find a causal link, which is ironic considering the causal claims within the article. However, it is important that this was stated because it shows readers that the claims being made are not proven, and therefore more research needs to be conducted before such claims can be made.
There are many possible third variables such as gender, ethnicity, and family income level that make it impossible to say there is a causal relationship between videogame playing and creativity without further research. It is important to consider these possible third variables because correlation does not imply causation. This means that even though two things are related in some way, they may not have a cause and effect relationship. For example, children with a high family income level may be exposed to more things which allows their creativity to sprout.
A child who has been able to travel the world may be able to compose more unique thoughts than a child from a low-income family who has never left the city they live in. So, this gives way for the question, is this child more creative because of their use of technology or because of their family income level? Or vice versa. The finding of a relationship between videogame playing and creativity only motivates researchers to seek out more answers to why this is the case.
