Time Budget Uncertainty and Creativity

We examine how uncertainty in time budgets influences individuals’ approach to creative tasks and their resulting creative performance. We argue that uncertainty about available time reduces individuals’ initial idea generation efforts, which ultimately impairs their creative performance. We test this prediction in a laboratory experiment by manipulating the presence of time budget uncertainty. Consistent with our theory, we find that uncertainty in time budgets reduces initial idea generation (self-reported, time spent on initial idea generation, and quantity of ideas produced early on), which in turn diminishes creative outcomes. In supplemental analyses we provide insights in the detailed process. Our findings contribute to the literature by providing new insights into how time budget uncertainty shapes individuals’ creative task processes and performance.