Semantic Distance and the Alternate Uses Task: Recommendations for Reliable Automated Assessment of Originality. Issue 3 (3rd July 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Beaty, Roger E.; Johnson, Dan R.; Zeitlen, Daniel C.; Forthmann, Boris
• Is Part Of: Creativity research journal. Volume 34:Issue 3(2022)
• Page Start: 245
• Page End: 260
• Publication Date: 2022-07-03
• Subjects: Creative ability -- Periodicals; 153.3505
• DOI: 10.1080/10400419.2022.2025720
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1040-0419

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Semantic distance is increasingly used for automated scoring of originality on divergent thinking tasks, such as the Alternate Uses Task (AUT). Despite some psychometric support for semantic distance – including positive correlations with human creativity ratings – additional work is needed to optimize its reliability and validity, including identifying maximally reliable items (objects) for AUT administration. We identify a set of 13 AUT items based on a systematic item-selection strategy ( belt, brick, broom, bucket, candle, clock, comb, knife, lamp, pencil, pillow, purse, sock ). This item-set resulted in acceptable reliability estimates and was found to be moderately related to both human creativity ratings and a creative personality factor (Study 1). These results replicated in a new sample of Participants (Study 2). We conclude with the following recommendations for reliable and valid assessment of AUT originality using semantic distance: 1) make choices based on theoretical/practical considerations, 2) administer (some or all of) the 13 items from this study; 3) if other items must be used, avoid compound words as AUT items (e.g., guitar string); 4) include as many AUT items as time permits; 5) instruct participants to "be creative"; and 6) address fluency confounds that conflate idea quantity and quality (e.g., via max scoring).