Making new ideas: A theoretical proposal and a mixed methods demonstration

We extend Latour (1987) distinction between "science already made" and "science in the making" to the realm of creativity. The "made" perspective emphasizes a linear, retrospective narrative, prioritizing pre-existing ideas, typically separating the creator from the created object. Conversely, the "in-the-making" perspective highlights the dynamic, iterative nature of creativity, emphasizing the active role of materials and tools in shaping the outcome. In this theoretical paper, we critically reflect on traditional laboratory-based research on insight problem solving, noting a preference for second-order procedures that restrict interaction with physical objects. We propose that a first-order insight problem solving procedure, which involves thinking with and through the world, is better positioned to capture the fundamental importance of physical prototyping in creative problem solving. We champion concurrent embedded mixed methods designs for insight problem-solving research where the qualitative data help us understand the process by which a new idea is constructed to complement quantitative measures of solution rates and latencies. We illustrate how a first order procedure can be instrumentalized to permit the granular capture of three data streams: (i) participants' verbalizations; (ii) participants' actions; and (iii) resulting changes to the physical model of the solution. We introduce creativity researchers to ELAN, a coding software that allows the exact temporal juxtaposition of these data streams, providing clear evidence for the role of prototyping in creative problem solving and revealing a phenomenon we call ‘outsight’. Using examples from various types of insight problems, we demonstrate how new ideas that unlock solutions are enacted.