Learned Variability Levels: Implications for Creativity

Learned variability theory assumes that, along with domain-specific skills, individuals acquire domain-specific variability levels, and that these levels are acquired early in exposure to the domain. This study focused on the effects of early training on sustained or habitual levels of variability in a computer game. Two groups of college students were exposed to a series of 4 variability requirements in increasing or decreasing order. Although variability in both groups changed with the requirements, the group that began with the biggest requirement was more variable in all 4 conditions than the group starting with the smallest. The relation between big early challenges and learned domain-specific individual differences in variability and creativity are discussed.