A new study suggests that ambient background noise or buzz of conversation in public places can fuel creativity.
The new study was published in the Journal of Consumer Research and included several experiments and involved more than 300 people.
The study showed that those who had ambient noise in the background (around 70 decibels) scored higher in objective word association tests and their answers were rated to be more creative by other participants.
According to the Wall Street Journal, the study:
Adds to research suggesting that small doses of distraction - including hard-to-read fonts - prompt the mind to work at a more abstract level, which is also a more creative level. [...]There's a sweet spot between silence and din.
Photo by Kevin Harber
