City Research Online

Abstract

Creative work is economically and socially important: information demonstrably plays a crucial role in creativity. Creative blocks are emotionally and professionally difficult for those engaged in creative work, and disruptive of the work itself. Despite the importance of resolving blocks in creative work and the well-known role information plays in supporting creativity, little research has examined the role of information in addressing (or causing) creative blocks. In this paper, we present a dedicated empirical examination of this role of information in creative blocks—to our knowledge the first of its kind. Our results show that information interaction and behaviour are key to resolving creative blocks. Traditional information behaviours, notably browsing, are key, but these are supported by a range of digital interactions, including scrolling, algorithmic curation, and easy digital curation of multimedia. This research cements the importance of both information behaviour and digital information interactions to creative unblocking.

Publication Type:	Conference or Workshop Item (Paper)
Additional Information:	This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Sanchez, P., Makri, S. , MacKay, D. & Buchanan, G. (2025). Don’t Stop Me Now: Investigating the Information Interactions Involved in Overcoming Creative Blocks. Paper presented at the ASIS&T 2025, 14-18 Nov 2025, Crystal City, USA., which is to be published in final form at https://asistdl.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/23739231. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Use of Self-Archived Versions. This article may not be enhanced, enriched or otherwise transformed into a derivative work, without express permission from Wiley or by statutory rights under applicable legislation. Copyright notices must not be removed, obscured or modified. The article must be linked to Wiley’s version of record on Wiley Online Library and any embedding, framing or otherwise making available the article or pages thereof by third parties from platforms, services and websites other than Wiley Online Library must be prohibited.
Subjects:	B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology Q Science > QA Mathematics > QA75 Electronic computers. Computer science R Medicine > RC Internal medicine > RC0321 Neuroscience. Biological psychiatry. Neuropsychiatry Z Bibliography. Library Science. Information Resources > Z665 Library Science. Information Science
Departments:	School of Science & Technology School of Science & Technology > Computer Science
SWORD Depositor:	Symplectic Administrator

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