Wiseman Richard, Wiles Amy, Watt Caroline
School of Psychology and Sport Science, University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom.
Unaffiliated, London, United Kingdom.
PeerJ. 2021 Apr 15;9:e11289. doi: 10.7717/peerj.11289. eCollection 2021.
Research suggests that learning to perform magic tricks can promote both physical and psychological wellbeing. The current study extended this work by examining the impact of learning magic tricks on divergent thinking. A group of 10- to 11-year-old children completed Guilford's Alternate Uses Test both before and after participating in either a magic-based, or art-based, activity. As predicted, compared to the art-based activity, the magic-based activity resulted in a significantly greater increase in both AUT Fluency and AUT Originality scores. Rosenberg's Self-Esteem Scale and Dweck's Implicit Theories of Intelligence Scale for Children was also completed after each activity, and participants' self-esteem scores were higher after the art-based activity than the magic-based activity. In an exploratory aspect of the study, the AUT was re-administered to both groups three weeks later, and yielded no significant differences. The practical and theoretical implications of these findings are discussed, along with recommendations for future research.
研究表明，学习表演魔术技巧可以促进身心健康。当前的研究通过考察学习魔术技巧对发散性思维的影响，扩展了这一研究领域。一组10至11岁的儿童在参与基于魔术或基于艺术的活动之前和之后，都完成了吉尔福德的“变通用途测试”（Alternate Uses Test）。正如预期的那样，与基于艺术的活动相比，基于魔术的活动在“变通用途测试流畅性”（AUT Fluency）和“变通用途测试独创性”（AUT Originality）得分上都有显著更大的提升。每次活动后还完成了罗森伯格自尊量表（Rosenberg's Self-Esteem Scale）和德韦克儿童智力内隐理论量表（Dweck's Implicit Theories of Intelligence Scale for Children），并且参与基于艺术活动后的参与者自尊得分高于基于魔术的活动。在该研究的一个探索性方面，三周后对两组再次进行“变通用途测试”，结果没有显著差异。讨论了这些发现的实际和理论意义，以及对未来研究的建议。
