The Ineffectiveness of Brainstorming

Brainstorming is commonly used for generating ideas, but research shows that it is not as effective as expected. Social psychologists have studied brainstorming for 40 years and found that it produces fewer and lower quality ideas compared to individuals working independently. Group brainstorming often leads to conformity bias, anchoring bias, and other cognitive biases. Research suggests that brainstorming sessions should focus on independent thought and problem definition before engaging in group discussions and combining ideas.