If you’re having trouble with your crossword puzzle or Wordle, you could try snacking on something sweet.

Researchers have discovered that sweetness can stimulate creativity.

They stated that it is not about the brain receiving a sweet jolt.

The effect of the sweet taste was limited to creating jobs and did not increase analytical or detail-oriented performance.

The link between sweetness and creativity is believed to be owing to the good associations humans have with sweet tastes.

Because positive settings are non-threatening, they allow our thoughts to become more receptive, according to Dr. Lidan Xu, the primary researcher.

Dr. Xu from the University of North Texas in the United States stated, “When people view the nature of a situation to be good and without threat, they are willing to adopt an explorative mindset, which broadens their attention to encompass innovative ideas.”

She stated that analytical and attention-to-detail jobs require a narrower, more strict focus.

Dr. Xu explained that it is not required to feel a pleasant mood change from the sweet taste for it to improve our creativity; it still functions as a cue to more inspired thought due to our history with sweet food.

“Sweet taste can independently enhance creativity due to the associations that people have built with the sweet taste experience,” said Dr. Xu. “This is independent of what sweet taste does for our mood.”

She stated, “Sweet foods are typically taken in a good context, such as when you are seeking consolation, during celebrations (such as birthdays), or at family/friends gatherings.”

‘From an evolutionary perspective, sweetness is also regarded as the most delightful taste in nature and is deemed harmless.

In reality, people used taste to determine if a food was harmful or not in the past, therefore sweet foods indicate safety, energy, and non-toxicity.

Because of the positive associations that people have built over time, sweetness has become a positive implicit affective cue.

The researchers conducted seven distinct tests, the results of which were published in the journal Organizational Behaviour and Human Decision Processes.

These included a blind taste test with several beverages to confirm that it was the sensory experience of sweetness and not another flavor, that was driving the creativity. This experiment also monitored the moods of the participants and found that sweet taste did not need to make people feel happier for the effect to occur.

Other trials investigated the influence of sweetness on creative versus non-creative tasks.

Moreover, a subsequent experiment revealed that overriding people’s good associations with sweet tastes by informing them how detrimental sugary foods are to their health diminished the effect of the sweet taste on creativity, indicating that the link with positivity is the driving factor.

But if you’re reading this thinking about the influence of sweet goodies on your waistline, you could try envisioning a sweet flavor instead: one investigation revealed that focusing on the idea of a sweet taste, as opposed to imagining salty, bitter, or neutral tastes, increased creative ability.

Dr. Xu stated, “There is no doubt that excessive sugar consumption is harmful to one’s health, and we do not advocate for an increase in sugar consumption.

“Importantly, our investigations reveal that the effect of sweet taste on creativity can be triggered by the simple taste of sweet food, such as a single piece of candy, cookie, or piece of dried fruit.

“We also demonstrate that the effect happens without real ingestion,” she said, adding, “imagining a pleasant taste experience can stimulate creative output.”

HOME-BASED WORK DECREASES CREATIVITY, COMMUNICATION, AND TEAMWORK
Working from home reduces creativity, communication, and teamwork, a new study by experts at Microsoft has discovered.

From December 2019, before the lockout, through June 2020, researchers at the Redmond, Washington-based tech behemoth examined data from more than 61 thousand employees.

They discovered that working from home (WFH) caused workers to communicate in a more compartmentalized manner and to have fewer real-time dialogues.

It also made it more difficult for staff across departments to acquire and share new information, which could affect a company’s “productivity and innovation.”

On the other hand, people who worked from home spent less time in meetings, which are frequently criticized for being too long and a waste of time.