Researchers found that people who were in a messy environment came up with more interesting and new ideas than those who were in a clean environment. Kathleen Vohs, a researcher, told Science Daily, “We found that being in a polluted environment could lead to very good things.”
“People who are creative feel free in places that are chaotic and disorganized.” Because of this, they can go against the norm and come up with new ideas. On the other hand, routine and safe work behaviors are more likely to happen in organizational settings that look like safe and normal places.
In a messed-up space, people can unwind and break away from the rules. A 2013 study found that people are more creative when they are in a messy space. They are willing to try new things and are open to new ideas.
Do you think of yourself as organized or as a mess? Do you often smooth out the blankets instead of making perfect hospital corners? After a late-night doubleheader on a Sunday, does your couch look like the bleachers at Fenway Park? Have you forgotten about the spider webs on the rafters in the ceiling? If you said “Yes” to any of these questions, you are considered messy. But don’t feel bad. A recent New York Times article says that messy people are not only more creative than their more careful peers, but they are also more willing to challenge the status quo and try new things. There’s good news for you as well, nicely sorted beans. Kindness and a healthy diet seem to come more naturally to you. I’ll bully for you, and I’m sure you iron your underwear.
The answer to that question isn’t clear, though. On the one hand, academic Kathleen Vohs has shown that messiness helps people think of new and creative ideas. But, and this is a big but, the study also found that people who worked in a clean environment were more likely to give to charity, choose a healthy snack over junk food, and make more traditional decisions.
Irwin seems to be saying that messiness works the same way as any other habit. It’s like how people who smoke because they think it makes them feel calm can keep doing it even though nicotine is a stimulant. Irwin says that if someone really believes that clutter makes them more creative, they may only be creative in a cluttered place. It’s not true that mess makes you more creative; this is just the placebo effect.
Vohs came up with the idea that a messy environment makes it easier to think of new ideas. He used a paradigm of one messy room and one clean room and a series of trials to back up this claim.
Is a cluttered space good for creativity?
Again, half of the people who took part worked in a messy environment, while the other half did not. The participants came up with the same number of ideas, but a group of impartial raters found that the people in the dirty room came up with far more creative ideas.
Why do messy people come up with better ideas?
A 2013 study found that people are more creative when they are in a messy space. They are willing to try new things and are open to new ideas. Order can’t be kept every second of every day. People who try to do this may get a condition called compulsive tidying.
Are people who don’t have things in order creative?
A study found that people who are less organized are more creative and productive.
What skills do people who are messy have?
People who are messy are spontaneous and open to change. People who are messy can handle surprises because they thrive in chaos. They are used to being surprised, so they don’t get scared when things change. They benefit in both their personal and professional lives from having these traits.
Do smart people keep their rooms messy?
Both being smart and having a messy desk go hand in hand. A study from the University of Minnesota found that geniuses’ messy desks are linked to their IQ. If you don’t spend much time cleaning up and putting things in order, you must be thinking about more important things.
Do artists enjoy disorder?
Studies show that a messy painting studio can make you more creative. In an experiment in 2013, Kathleen Vohs, a researcher at the University of Minnesota, asked 48 people to think of creative ways to use ping pong balls. They put each person in a room that was neat and organized or a room that was a mess.
What does your lack of order say about you?
Psychology says that being disorganized can mean that someone is having trouble. If someone is messy, it could mean they have depression or another mental illness, just like someone with OCD might feel like they need to control everything.
Does having too many things stop you from being creative?
Researchers found that “disorderly surroundings encourage creativity,” which is important for culture, business, and the arts. I think you should do it if you like to make a mess. It might be more than just a mess; it might be where you get your best ideas.
Is it true that people who are more successful have dirtier rooms?
A study from the University of Minnesota found that people who are messy are smarter and have more ideas. So, in a way, we are just as smart and successful as people with washing machines. So, now you know.
Is it true that most artists don’t have their lives in order?
Artists are known for not being organized. Many people would say that this is all it takes to be creative, and that being spontaneous helps creativity.
Is living in chaos good for creativity?
(Independent researchers at Northwestern University found that people in a dirty environment came up with more creative drawings and solved a difficult puzzle faster than those in a clean environment.)
What is it that makes artists so interesting?
Since there is a clear link between human nature and creativity, it shouldn’t be a surprise that psychologists study where creativity comes from. Geoffrey Miller says that sexual selection played a role in how it changed over time. From this point of view, artistic expressions are like the tail of a peacock—a not-so-subtle way to attract potential mates.
What does a person’s mess tell you about who they are?
If you have a lot of stuff in your living room, it could mean you’re having trouble with your relationships with other people and with yourself. If you have a lot of stuff in your bedroom, it could mean you’re having trouble with your sexual identity, you’re afraid of intimacy, or you don’t