Internal Dialogue During Divergent Thinking Predicts Originality—But in Unexpected Ways

Internal dialogue may serve a key self-regulatory function in creative thinking. This study extends previous research by contrasting the contributions of trait-level internal dialogue—reflecting general tendencies to engage in dialogical activity—and state-level internal dialogue, reported retrospectively after completing divergent thinking tasks. Three hundred fifty adults were recruited online and completed two Alternate Uses Tests. Originality was assessed using both a uniqueness-based method and a validated artificial intelligence scoring technique. After accounting for individual differences in openness to experience, trait-level internal dialogue showed an inconsistent association with originality. In contrast, state-level internal dialogue consistently predicted originality, demonstrating predictive power beyond trait-level dialogue and openness to experience. Contrary to our hypothesis, however, this association was negative. Higher levels of internal dialogue during the creative task were related to lower originality. This unexpected pattern suggests that internal dialogue may not always support ideation. Alternative explanations for these findings, along with discrepancies with prior research, are examined to guide future studies into the potential role of internal dialogue in creative thinking.