1. Centre for Design Research © 2008 Dr. Kev Hilton Influences of Humour on Concept Generation

2. Centre for Design Research © 2008 Introduction My PhD subject, ‘A Study of Factors Influencing Personal Innovative Potential’, led to a number of interesting opportunities for further enquiry. One such interesting observation was how humour seemed to part of the social process of designing. The questions that came out of this were: 1.How does humour contribute to the design process? 2.How might humour be better managed?

3. Centre for Design Research © 2008 Context Social Psychology. Style: Social. Formats: Jokes, Anecdotes and Authored Humour. ‘You had to be there.’ Style : Abstract. Formats : Associations and Scenarios. Style : Other. Formats : Non-Verbal Communication and Environment.

4. Centre for Design Research © 2008 Context

5. Centre for Design Research © 2008 Context The argument that seemed to be developing for humour, suggested that whilst the incongruities present in certain humour may not provide a direct solution to a challenge, they could provide... Creative ‘Stepping-Stones’

6. Centre for Design Research © 2008 Context Cognitive Psychology Personal Construct Theory. Thinking and Learning Styles. Arousal Level and ‘Flow’.

7. Centre for Design Research © 2008 Context Neuro Psychology Acetylcholine: Involved in memory and learning. Dopamine: Involved in sex drive, mood, alertness and movement. Norepinephrine: Involved in alertness, arousal and mood. Serotonin: Involved in mood, appetite control, emotional balance and impulse control. GABA: Involved in relaxation and sedation. (Sahelian 1999)

8. Centre for Design Research © 2008 Anticipations Certain styles of humour would be found to influence creativity. Attempts to control or manage humour and creativity, in parallel, would prove counterproductive.

9. Centre for Design Research © 2008 Approach Objectives: 1.To observe the styles and frequency of humour in relation to the frequency of ideas generated in a series of different brainstorm arrangements. 2.To review the observations and determine appropriateness of control of humour during brainstorm sessions. 3.In addition, to record and analyse participants self- ratings of ‘Arousal’, to qualify whether arousal level has any relation to frequency of humour events or ideas generated.

10. Centre for Design Research © 2008 Approach Condition Stages (15 minutes each): Start. (Pre-Brainstorm settling down Control. (A normal, unconstrained generation session.) Encouraged Humour. (Participants asked to be humorous.) Banned Humour. (Participants told to be serious, humour and smiling were banned.)

11. Centre for Design Research © 2008 Approach Recording Humour Events: S for Social, including Inclusive humour like: Jokes or ‘You had to be there.’ A for Abstract, including Inclusive humour like: Associations, scenarios and the surreal. E for Exclusive, including: sarcasm and humour at another’s expense. O for Other forms of humour like: Non-verbal expressions.

12. Centre for Design Research © 2008 Findings STAGE. CONCEPTS. HUMOUR. AROUSAL. S. A. E. O.Tot.Var.Ave. Start 0 38 1 6 0 45 2 - 52.7 Control 160 43 56 9 11092 - 53.4 Encouraged 71 39 45 6 2 922 - 63.9 Banned 148 55 33 3 2 932 - 63.75 Session totals for ‘rotated’ testing:

13. Centre for Design Research © 2008 Conclusions The experiment showed no direct relationship between the frequency of humour events and the number of concepts generated. Constraining humour did not positively influence the number of concepts generated. The same amount of humour occurred when it was banned; and less concepts were generated when humour was encouraged.

14. Centre for Design Research © 2008 Conclusions Humour events do however appear to be part of the dynamics of unconstrained concept generation, whilst being incidental to the occurrence of creative events. Qualitative observations in addition to the quantitative data suggested that social humour was required before abstract humour could be effectively expressed. Abstract humour was linked to some of the more creative thinking, providing the Creative Stepping Stones.

15. Centre for Design Research © 2008 Dr. Kev Hilton (k.hilton@northumbria.ac.uk)