CKGSB Professor Zhu Rui -“Ambient Noise Helps Creative Cognition” Rather than studying in a quiet setting, doing so in a coffee shop bustling with ambient noise may actually help trigger creativity. ‘Coffitivity’, one of most influential smartphone apps of 2013, is based on CKGSB Professor Zhu Rui’s dissertation, ‘Is Noise Always Bad? Exploring the Effects of Ambient Noise on Creative Cognition’, which explores this very topic. Professor Zhu is one of the most promising scholars known for her studies on environmental cues and their effects on consumer behavior. Apart from studies on the ambient noise effect, Professor Zhu has also studied various environmental factors that also influence consumer cognition.
Rather than studying in a quiet setting, doing so in a coffee shop bustling with ambient noise may actually help trigger creativity. ‘Coffitivity’, one of most influential smartphone apps of 2013, is based on CKGSB Professor Zhu Rui’s dissertation, ‘Is Noise Always Bad? Exploring the Effects of Ambient Noise on Creative Cognition’, which explores this very topic. Dong-a Business Review (DBR) interviewed Professor Zhu Rui, who explains how certain environmental cues may bolster creative thinking and spur innovation within an organization.
In order to generate creative ideas, it is necessary to think in a complex and abstract manner. Her study shows that ambient noise actually may improve creative thinking by ‘de-focusing’ the brain.
CKGSB Professor Zhu Rui is a promising scholar who has been studying the impact of environmental cues on consumer behaviour and decision-making. In addition to studies on ambient noise, Professor Zhu has also published research on other environmental cues, including research showing that rectangular tables encourage creativity whereas round tables induce harmony, and how lonely consumers tend to buy unpopular products.
During her interview with DBR, Professor Zhu explained how small changes such as rearranging office furniture, substituting lighting equipment or listening to new songs may bring about positive effects. She added that in addition to white noise, various environmental cues can also subconsciously influence our minds to generate creative thoughts.
When asked about her motive behind studying environmental cues, Professor Zhu explained that her passion began in college where she minored in Psychology and started her research on how colors affect our minds. As years passed, her areas of interest widened to other environmental cues as well, including noise, background music and space application.
Read [Interview] CKGSB Professor Zhu Rui – “Ambient Noise Helps Creative Cognition” on Dong-a Business Review website
