In today’s digital age, the omnipresence of internet search engines profoundly shapes how we approach problem-solving and creativity. A recent study out of Carnegie Mellon University sheds new light on the subtle yet significant cognitive shifts triggered by reliance on online search during creative brainstorming tasks. Published in the journal Memory & Cognition, this research investigates how the availability of internet search engines influences individuals’ ability to generate novel and diverse ideas, revealing surprising trade-offs between convenience and creative output.
Researchers at Carnegie Mellon set out to explore whether searching the internet for ideas before brainstorming enhances or hinders the originality and diversity of responses. Participants were asked to brainstorm alternative uses for two everyday objects: umbrellas and shields. In a controlled experimental design, some participants were permitted to use Google searches to inform their brainstorming, while others were instructed to rely solely on their own knowledge without any external assistance. This methodological approach allowed the researchers to disentangle the influence of internet search on individual and collective creativity.
Contrary to intuitive expectations, the study found no statistically significant difference in the creativity scores of individuals when assessed in isolation, regardless of whether they used search engines. However, an intriguing pattern emerged when the participants’ answers were aggregated into group-level analyses. Here, those with access to internet searches tended to converge on similar and more repetitive ideas. This homogenization sharply contrasted with groups who brainstormed unaided, as their answers exhibited broader variety and originality, underscoring a previously underappreciated collective effect of digital scaffolding on creative diversity.
This phenomenon appears rooted in cognitive “fixation effects,” a concept well-documented in psychological research. Fixation effects occur when exposure to existing solutions narrows the range of ideas a person is willing or able to consider. The study’s lead author, Professor Danny Oppenheimer, explains that reliance on internet search results primes individuals to gravitate toward common, frequently cited uses, consequently curtailing exploration beyond those known categories. Consequently, while Google provides readily accessible ideas, it can inadvertently stifle innovative thinking by anchoring participants to prevalent patterns.
Interestingly, the degree of fixation varied depending on the object under consideration. For umbrellas, where many alternative uses are already documented online, search engine users quickly converged on popular answers, limiting their creativity. In contrast, for shields, which are less commonly discussed in everyday digital content, participants struggled to find relevant online information, leaving their thinking relatively unfettered and allowing for more novel ideas to emerge. This differential effect highlights how the richness or paucity of pre-existing online content may modulate the cognitive influence of search engines on creativity.
From a technical standpoint, these findings extend the theoretical framework regarding human-technology interaction by demonstrating a novel cognitive barrier induced specifically by internet search. Previous studies on fixation mainly focused on direct exposure to other people’s solutions or physical artifacts, but this research pioneers the identification of search engines as a fixation-inducing medium. It suggests that the structure and ordering of search results—designed for efficiency and relevance—may unintentionally suppress creative divergence by funneling users toward top-ranked, mainstream suggestions.
Moreover, the implications of this phenomenon transcend individual creativity, bearing relevance for collaborative innovation ecosystems, where diverse perspectives and solution multiplicity are paramount. Digital homogeneity driven by search engine algorithms could pose challenges for collective problem-solving endeavors, especially ones tackling complex societal issues requiring out-of-the-box thinking and interdisciplinary approaches. This underscores the importance of understanding how technology shapes not just access to information but also the cognitive processes we use during ideation.
The researchers caution against drawing simplistic conclusions that portray the internet as inherently detrimental to human intellect or creativity. Instead, they advocate for nuanced perspectives recognizing that digital technologies are reshaping cognitive strategies. Oppenheimer clarifies that the internet is not “making us dumb,” but our current modes of engagement with it might sometimes be counterproductive. The key lies in optimizing how we balance between unaided thinking and online search to harness the strengths of both mental faculties and technological tools.
In light of these insights, the study’s authors propose practical strategies to mitigate search-induced fixation effects. One such approach involves initial offline brainstorming sessions where individuals generate ideas uninfluenced by external inputs. This method preserves originality and cognitive diversity before supplementing the ideation process with targeted online research to refine and expand upon independently conceived notions. Such sequential layering of creative phases could enhance the overall quality and novelty of solutions.
Beyond behavioral recommendations, the findings also invite deeper inquiry into prompt engineering—the deliberate design of instructions and queries that shape how individuals and groups interact with information systems. By tailoring prompts to encourage divergent thinking and minimize anchoring on common answers, future interfaces might support greater creative exploration even when leveraging search engines. This intersection of cognitive psychology, human-computer interaction, and design science opens exciting avenues for advancing innovation methodologies in a digitized world.
The significance of these findings is particularly timely given the rapid evolution of technology and emergence of artificial intelligence tools, which frequently rely on internet data and provide curated content responses. As society continually redefines its relationship with such technologies, understanding the nuanced cognitive impacts of these tools will be critical. The study serves as a reminder of the intrinsic value of human individuality and unique perspectives in problem-solving and underscores the need to preserve space for unmediated human creativity.
Ultimately, while fixation effects induced by search engines may not drastically hinder everyday routine tasks, they pose meaningful considerations for efforts demanding substantial creative breakthroughs. The paper’s coauthor, Mark Patterson, stresses that tackling large-scale societal challenges requires a reservoir of diverse, well-differentiated ideas and strategies. Preserving cognitive diversity through mindful technology use could therefore be a pivotal factor in generating innovative solutions on a global scale.
This ongoing research emphasizes not only the possible cognitive shortcuts introduced by our reliance on digital search but also the promise of harnessing these tools more effectively. With further study, it may be possible to design systems and workflows that combine human creativity with the vast informational resources of the internet while minimizing unintended constraints. As we continue to integrate digital technologies into creative practices, this research offers valuable insights for educators, designers, and innovators aiming to cultivate richer, more productive idea generation.
Subject of Research: People
Article Title: Thinking outside the box means thinking outside the search engine
News Publication Date: 28-May-2025
Web References:
- https://link.springer.com/article/10.3758/s13421-025-01732-x
- http://dx.doi.org/10.3758/s13421-025-01732-x
- https://www.cmu.edu/dietrich/sds/people/faculty/daniel-oppenheimer.html
- https://www.cmu.edu/dietrich/sds/people/faculty/mark-patterson.html
- https://www.cmu.edu/dietrich/qsss/
- https://www.cmu.edu/dietrich/news/news-stories/2025/may/consequence-neglect.html
References:
Oppenheimer, D., Patterson, M., et al. (2025). Thinking outside the box means thinking outside the search engine. Memory & Cognition, DOI: 10.3758/s13421-025-01732-x
Keywords: Social sciences, Psychological science, Social research
