A Comparison of Assessment Methods and Raters in Product Creativity

Although previous studies have attempted to use different experiences of raters to rate product creativity by adopting the Consensus Assessment Method (CAT) approach, the validity of replacing CAT with another measurement tool has not been adequately tested. This study aimed to compare raters with different levels of experience (expert ves. nonexpert raters) using both CAT and the product creativity measurement instrument (PCMI) to assess the product creativity of 56 design works based on a design competition. The results showed that nonexpert raters who used either CAT or PCMI had higher interreliability than expert raters. Using PCMI was found to result in higher correlation than using CAT for the expert and nonexpert raters, although the correlation between the CAT and PCMI methods was statistically insignificantly different. After regression analysis, the results showed that all PCMI items had higher explanatory power for the creativity scores using CAT and, moreover, the nonexpert raters were found to have higher explanatory power than the expert raters. Based on these results, it is recommended that the use of both nonexpert raters and PCMI is an alternative way of enhancing the flexibility of product creativity assessment.     

Influence of Age of Listener on Preadolescents’ Linguistic Behavior

Research indicates that young children and adults alter their linguistic behavior in response to the age of the person they are addressing. Yet to be established is how different-age individuals affect the linguistic behavior of preadolescents. The present study explored this question. While seated in a lounge-like setting, five 11-year-olds individually interacted with a young child (6-years), an age-peer, and a young adult (25-30 years). Analysis of the videotaped interactions focused on the preadolescents; measures were taken on the number, duration, and content of their initiated interactions. With young children, the subjects tended to initiate many brief interactions; with adults the initiations were fewer but longer in duration. They tended also to refer to themselves or their family and friends when addressing adults, but referred to the child or the child’s family and friends when speaking with children. Additional findings were (a) most interactions were narrative and initiated verbal-vocally; (b) time frames were seldom specified, except with the adult concerning the past and future; (c) feeling reactions were rarely expressed; and (d) secondary adjustments were infrequent, but when they did occur, most were with the child as part of cooperative game-playing. These findings are consistent with research on adults and children. Importantly, the present study demonstrates the applicability of a research method based on a natural science approach to language.