After Brainstorming,Groups Select an Early Generated Idea as Their Best Idea

Abstract

A long-standing assumption states that brainstorming techniques that increase the quantity of ideas will lead to the selection of better ideas (Taylor, Berry, & Block, 1958). However, groups that generate more ideas do not select better ideas when compared with groups that generate fewer ideas (Kramer, Kuo, & Dailey, 1997). This may occur because groups generate their best ideas early. In Experiment 1, groups brainstormed, and then selected their best idea. Groups were free to define best however they saw fit. Selected best ideas were generated early (M = 117 s). In terms of quality, the best ideas were highly feasible, but unoriginal. In Experiment 2, groups selected the most feasible ideas and the most original ideas, rather than best ideas. Selected feasible ideas were generated early (M = 69 s), but original ideas were not (M = 328 s). Thus, how groups define best contributed to which ideas they selected.