Brainstorming in Solitude and Teams: The Role of Group Influence

Early studies of creative ideation showed that individuals brainstorming in isolation tend to generate more and better ideas than groups. But recent studies depict a more complex picture, reinforcing the need to better understand individual and group ideation. Studying group influence is one way to address the complex interplay between ideas in different brainstorming scenarios. We define group influence as the degree to which individuals are influenced by ideas coming from other team members. This paper presents results from a multi-agent simulation of the role of group influence in brainstorming groups. The results from the simulations indicate that the findings from previous laboratory studies tend to be misinterpreted, and that both isolation and teamwork present opportunities and challenges for creativity.