6.9.1 Brainstorming (continued)

B) The Two Principles

·           Deferment of Judgment

Thinking, according to Osborn, involves both a "judicial mind" and a "creative mind". The former "analyzes, compares and chooses" (i.e., evaluates), whereas the latter "visualizes, foresees and generates ideas." The judicial mind "puts the brakes" on the creative mind - and these brakes need to be removed so that ideas can be generated. To remove these brakes, the first principle of brainstorming ‑ deferment of judgment‑has to be observed. The individual verbalizes or writes down his ideas without concern for their value, feasibility, or significance (all of which are, however, considered later). Yet he does not engage literally in free associations, for this might result in fruitless ideas: "instead of literally deferring judgment, we are, in reality, using 'limited‑criteria' thinking‑these 'limited' criteria being dependent on the way we state the problem." For example,

In using the principle of deferred judgment, we don't say, "List ideas that come to your mind by free association. Instead, we say, "List ideas with respect to such‑and‑such a problem.” When we list uses for a broom, for example, we are setting the criteria of "uses" and "broom" in our minds as we allow our automatic associative processes to go to work. In other words, we are saying, I will entertain any idea that comes to my mind with respect to using a broom in some way…." Hence I am judging (and ruling out) automatically any thought or idea that comes to my mind that is not pertinent to "uses of a broom" [Parries, 1967a, pp. 68‑69].

Expressed differently, the problem as stated "sets" the individual, and his thought processes do not run on at random, but operate within the more limited framework of what Parnes calls primary criteria, for example, "uses" and "broom" in the sample just presented. What, then, is deferred? According to Parnes, secondary criteria are deferred. These secondary criteria include such evaluative thoughts as: Will it be too expensive; will it take too long to do; will it require too many people to do it?

·           Quantity Breeds Quality

The second principle of brainstorming is that quantity breeds quality. The rationale for this dictum originates in associationistic psychology, which assumes that our thoughts or associations are structured hierarchically. The most dominant thoughts in this hierarchy are those which are most habitual, common, or usual, and are therefore likely to be, from other points of view, the "safest" and most acceptable to others. It is necessary to "get through" these conventional ideas if we are to arrive at original ones. After the dominant ideas have been reviewed and rejected, additional effort has to be expended in order to generate fresh associations. Implicit in this view is that somewhere in the repertoire of an individual's associations there are some that are original or others that, if combined properly, can yield creative results.