Inside the Box

Career

A Desire to Teach Psychology Is a Natural Career Transition

Drew Boyd on January 21, 2019

Are you ready to pass along all your training, experience, and wisdom to the next generation? Are you ready to teach?

Are you ready to pass along all your training, experience, and wisdom to the next generation? Are you ready to teach?

Creativity

Creating a Culture of Innovation

Drew Boyd on January 14, 2019

You must remind your employees and external stakeholders how innovative the company is. It's the perception from these two groups that drive an innovative culture.

You must remind your employees and external stakeholders how innovative the company is. It's the perception from these two groups that drive an innovative culture.

Creativity

Should We Use Technology to Make Us More Creative?

Drew Boyd on July 24, 2017

Extensive research has shown structured approaches and technologies do more to boost creative output than to limit it.

Extensive research has shown structured approaches and technologies do more to boost creative output than to limit it.

Race and Ethnicity

What's in a Name?

Drew Boyd on March 28, 2017

A person’s facial appearance can be significantly influenced by their given name, according to new research, perhaps due to the existence of shared face-name prototypes.

A person’s facial appearance can be significantly influenced by their given name, according to new research, perhaps due to the existence of shared face-name prototypes.

Creativity

2017 New Year's Resolution: Be More Creative

Drew Boyd on January 2, 2017

Being creative helps you become a better problem solver in all areas of your life and work.

Being creative helps you become a better problem solver in all areas of your life and work.

Cognition

Where Do Creative Ideas Come From?

Drew Boyd on November 21, 2016

Mankind has used patterns for thousands of years to solve problems and innovate. Learn how to reapply those patterns to anything you want to innovate.

Mankind has used patterns for thousands of years to solve problems and innovate. Learn how to reapply those patterns to anything you want to innovate.

Becoming more creative, even just a tiny bit, will enhance what you do everyday, at work, at home, or anywhere. Here's how.

Creativity

You're Awesome! How Sarcasm Enhances Creativity

Drew Boyd on September 7, 2016

A sarcastic remark is a creative act. Used appropriately, it can boost the creative output of both sender and receiver.

A sarcastic remark is a creative act. Used appropriately, it can boost the creative output of both sender and receiver.

Creativity

Teaching Creativity With a Story: A Lesson From Paul Smith

Drew Boyd on June 7, 2016

Creativity is considered by many to be a rare, elusive gift only musicians or bohemian New York artists possess. Truth is everyone has the capacity to be creative.

Creativity is considered by many to be a rare, elusive gift only musicians or bohemian New York artists possess. Truth is everyone has the capacity to be creative.

Creativity

A Creativity Prosthetic for the Mind

Drew Boyd on March 19, 2016

Regardless of where you are on the creativity scale, using cognitive patterns can boost your problem solving output.

Regardless of where you are on the creativity scale, using cognitive patterns can boost your problem solving output.

Creativity

Resistance is Futile

Drew Boyd on January 25, 2016

Innovation and resistance cannot be separated. In a real sense, they help define each other. Creative types need a way to overcome it.

Innovation and resistance cannot be separated. In a real sense, they help define each other. Creative types need a way to overcome it.

Cognition

The Creative Power of Thinking Big

Drew Boyd on December 27, 2015

Generate better ideas by mentally simulating the "down the road" effect of the idea. The bigger the impact you predict, the higher the quality of the idea.

Generate better ideas by mentally simulating the "down the road" effect of the idea. The bigger the impact you predict, the higher the quality of the idea.

Bias

Yes, there is such a thing as an ugly baby

Drew Boyd on October 31, 2015

Confirmation bias is something all humans have. But just being aware of it isn't good enough to prevent you from it. You can’t get rid of it, but there are things you can do to mitigate its effects and make better judgments.

Confirmation bias is something all humans have. But just being aware of it isn't good enough to prevent you from it. You can’t get rid of it, but there are things you can do to mitigate its effects and make better judgments.

Creativity

Creativity Breeds Overconfidence

Drew Boyd on September 21, 2015

Creative types revel in their superpowers, but it can lead to overconfidence. The most creative ideas aren't necessarily the best ones. Here are five ways to avoid overconfidence bias.

Creative types revel in their superpowers, but it can lead to overconfidence. The most creative ideas aren't necessarily the best ones. Here are five ways to avoid overconfidence bias.

Bias

Innovators: Beware the Hindsight Bias

Drew Boyd on August 30, 2015

After an event, people often believe that they knew the outcome of the event before it actually happened. This is hindsight bias, which causes memory distortion and overconfidence.

After an event, people often believe that they knew the outcome of the event before it actually happened. This is hindsight bias, which causes memory distortion and overconfidence.

Creativity

The Two Directions of Creativity

Drew Boyd on July 1, 2015

Most people think the way you create an idea is to start with a well-formed problem and then brainstorm a solution to it. What if you turned that around 180 degrees? It sounds counter-intuitive, but you really can innovate by starting with the solution and then work backwards to the problem.

Most people think the way you create an idea is to start with a well-formed problem and then brainstorm a solution to it. What if you turned that around 180 degrees? It sounds counter-intuitive, but you really can innovate by starting with the solution and then work backwards to the problem.

Creativity

Which Creativity Technique Should I Use?

Drew Boyd on May 10, 2015

SIT is a collection of five techniques and a set of principles to help generate quality ideas on demand. One of the challenges you can have is deciding which technique to use. So here are some rules of thumb to get you started.

SIT is a collection of five techniques and a set of principles to help generate quality ideas on demand. One of the challenges you can have is deciding which technique to use. So here are some rules of thumb to get you started.

Creativity

The Creative Power of Children

Drew Boyd on March 2, 2015

Parents teach their children many things. Creativity should be one of them. A systematic approach to generating novel ideas gives parents the structure they need to do just that.

Parents teach their children many things. Creativity should be one of them. A systematic approach to generating novel ideas gives parents the structure they need to do just that.

Cognition

The Power of Patterns That Guide Our Thinking

Drew Boyd on January 14, 2015

Could creativity be as simple as following templates? Research dating back to 1914 shows that even primates use cognitive patterns to solve problems.

Could creativity be as simple as following templates? Research dating back to 1914 shows that even primates use cognitive patterns to solve problems.

Creativity

The Patterns in Creative Holiday Gifts

Drew Boyd on November 30, 2014

It's that time of year for holiday gift giving, and you may want to select gifts that have creativity patterns embedded inside them. These inventions tend to survive through time because consumers find most appealing.

It's that time of year for holiday gift giving, and you may want to select gifts that have creativity patterns embedded inside them. These inventions tend to survive through time because consumers find most appealing.