Caffeine is popularly known to enhance creativity. It seems that this claim is not true, however, according to this new study. But while it may not enhance creativity, it significantly enhances our problem-solving skills.
This is news, given how strongly we associate coffee with creative occupations and lifestyles. The study, published today in Consciousness and Cognition, followed 80 participants after they consumed either a placebo or 200 mg of caffeine—the equivalent of 12 ounces of coffee—and then tracked their problem-solving, creative idea generation, working memory, and mood. While problem-solving abilities improved significantly, the caffeine had no effect on memory or creativity. Subjects also reported feeling “less sad.”
So I guess, at the end of the day, drinking coffee is still good, but not in the way we think it is.
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