Semantic memory and associative ability as predictors of divergent thinking and visual artistic creativity: An expert-novice comparison

Previous research highlights the importance of semantic memory and associative ability in divergent thinking, yet their roles in visual artistic creativity remain unclear. Using an expert-novice paradigm, this study investigated the predictive roles of semantic memory structure and associative ability in divergent thinking and visual artistic creativity. Design and non-design students completed a semantic distance judgment task, an association chain task, and four creative tasks. Key demographic and baseline variables were recorded to ensure group comparability. Results revealed significant group differences in semantic memory structure and associative ability. Notably, semantic network structure strongly predicted both divergent thinking and visual artistic creativity, with the non-design group showing particularly pronounced effects. Association fluency also predicted different types of creative performances across both groups. These findings extend the associative theory of creativity to visual arts, offering insights into the cognitive foundations of artistic creativity and its implications for art education.