Set-shifting and task-switching make differential contributions to divergent thinking in adolescence

Abstract

Cognitive flexibility, the capacity to adaptively shift between mental sets, includes subprocesses such as set-shifting and task-switching and changes across development. Divergent thinking, a core aspect of creativity, also develops substantially during adolescence. This study examined cognitive flexibility and divergent thinking in a large adolescent sample. Participants completed measures including the Wisconsin Card Sorting Task, task-set switching, working memory, inhibitory control, abstract reasoning, and the Alternate Uses Task. Results showed that cognitive flexibility subprocesses differentially contributed to divergent thinking: set-shifting positively predicted both fluency and originality, whereas task-switching predicted lower originality. These findings suggest that cognitive flexibility is not unitary and that strategic, self-guided flexibility may support adolescents’ capacity to generate original solutions.