The effects of music on creativity in the design process

Predrag Maksić

From the perspective of cognitive psychology, the design process is driven by creative cognition. The organization of cognitive material is influenced by a number of environmental elements, including music. The aim of this study is to examine the hypothesis that music has an indirect effect on creativity in the design process. An experiment was designed to observe different levels of creativity in the final product of the design process. The study consisted of two phases. In both phases the participants were students of Interior Design, enrolled in the final year of their programs. A pilot experiment was carried out in the first phase for the purpose of examining theoretical assumptions and adequacy of the experiment’s design. The main experiment was conducted in the second phase. It was designed to have two sessions. In both sessions the participants were asked to solve a creative design task. By the end of the two sessions all participant had worked with and without music stimuli. Final design solutions from both sessions were then assessed using the Consensual Assessment Technique, a standard method for assessing creative products. The Consensual Assessment Technique was conducted in order to determine if there were differences in levels of creativity in the final design products. The paired-samples t test offered evidence that the hypothesis of the relationship between music stimuli and creativity in the design process is inconclusive. While the test results showed that the designs done without music stimuli scored lower and the designs done under music stimuli scored higher, this difference was not statistically significant. Noting the study’s limitations, it is appropriate to note the direction of the means which supports further research using more appropriate methods. The intent of this study was to indicate a possible relationship between music listening and the design process, and to stimulate an awareness for the role that creative cognition plays in the design process and how it reflects in the quality of the final design product.

The effects of music on creativity in the design process

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