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Sit Still or Move More? The Impact of Fidgeting on Creativity

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Title: Sit Still or Move More? The Impact of Fidgeting on Creativity
Language: English
Authors: Marily Oppezzo (ORCID 0000-0001-6668-2508), Daniel L. Schwartz, Rocky Aikens, Jessie B. Moore, Joss Langford, Michael Baiocchi, James J. Gross, Ilsa Dohmen
Source: Journal of Educational Psychology. 2026 118(2):194-208.
Availability: American Psychological Association. Journals Department, 750 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20002. Tel: 800-374-2721; Tel: 202-336-5510; Fax: 202-336-5502; e-mail: order@apa.org; Web site: http://www.apa.org
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 15
Publication Date: 2026
Sponsoring Agency: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) (DHHS/NIH)
Contract Number: K01HL136702
T32HL00703439
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Education
Grade 6
Intermediate Grades
Middle Schools
Grade 7
Junior High Schools
Secondary Education
Descriptors: Physical Activities, Student Behavior, Grade 6, Grade 7, Middle School Students, Creative Thinking, Attention, Psychomotor Skills, Movement Education, Manipulative Materials, Object Manipulation, Personal Autonomy, Memory
DOI: 10.1037/edu0000980
ISSN: 0022-0663
1939-2176
Abstract: Many modern classrooms impose constraints on student movement, both physical (e.g., stable, upright chairs) and psychological (e.g., norms that "being still" signals paying attention). We conducted two separate studies with 32 sixth-grade (11- to 12-year-old) and 43 seventh-grade (12- to 13-year-old) students. Study 1 was a within-subject design and compared students' creative ideation on the alternate uses test and a verbal memory task through two conditions: sit still (on a regular chair with instructions to not move) or freedom to move (on a wiggle stool with ability to move as they wanted). There was a significant effect of condition on novel ideas, as well as number of novel ideas/total ideation (creativity ratio). There was no significant difference by condition on the verbal memory task. Study 2 was a within-subject design. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, each student completed two of three conditions: sit still, freedom to move, and sit as usual (on a regular chair with instructions to sit as if they were paying attention in class). This study compared students' creative ideation and a focused attention task instead of Study 1's memory task. There was a significant effect of condition on novel ideas and creativity ratio, but pairwise comparisons were not statistically significant. There was no condition effect on focused attention. The freedom to move effects appear selective only for creative ideation. Implications for future research and small classroom changes to support natural movement are discussed.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1507576
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
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  Data: Sit Still or Move More? The Impact of Fidgeting on Creativity
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Marily+Oppezzo%22">Marily Oppezzo</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6668-2508">0000-0001-6668-2508</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Daniel+L%2E+Schwartz%22">Daniel L. Schwartz</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Rocky+Aikens%22">Rocky Aikens</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Jessie+B%2E+Moore%22">Jessie B. Moore</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Joss+Langford%22">Joss Langford</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Michael+Baiocchi%22">Michael Baiocchi</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22James+J%2E+Gross%22">James J. Gross</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Ilsa+Dohmen%22">Ilsa Dohmen</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Journal+of+Educational+Psychology%22"><i>Journal of Educational Psychology</i></searchLink>. 2026 118(2):194-208.
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  Data: American Psychological Association. Journals Department, 750 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20002. Tel: 800-374-2721; Tel: 202-336-5510; Fax: 202-336-5502; e-mail: order@apa.org; Web site: http://www.apa.org
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  Data: Y
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  Data: 15
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  Data: 2026
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  Data: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) (DHHS/NIH)
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  Data: K01HL136702<br />T32HL00703439
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  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Elementary+Education%22">Elementary Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Grade+6%22">Grade 6</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Intermediate+Grades%22">Intermediate Grades</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Middle+Schools%22">Middle Schools</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Grade+7%22">Grade 7</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Junior+High+Schools%22">Junior High Schools</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Secondary+Education%22">Secondary Education</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Physical+Activities%22">Physical Activities</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+Behavior%22">Student Behavior</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Grade+6%22">Grade 6</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Grade+7%22">Grade 7</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Middle+School+Students%22">Middle School Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Creative+Thinking%22">Creative Thinking</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Attention%22">Attention</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Psychomotor+Skills%22">Psychomotor Skills</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Movement+Education%22">Movement Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Manipulative+Materials%22">Manipulative Materials</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Object+Manipulation%22">Object Manipulation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Personal+Autonomy%22">Personal Autonomy</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Memory%22">Memory</searchLink>
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  Data: 10.1037/edu0000980
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  Data: 0022-0663<br />1939-2176
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
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  Data: Many modern classrooms impose constraints on student movement, both physical (e.g., stable, upright chairs) and psychological (e.g., norms that "being still" signals paying attention). We conducted two separate studies with 32 sixth-grade (11- to 12-year-old) and 43 seventh-grade (12- to 13-year-old) students. Study 1 was a within-subject design and compared students' creative ideation on the alternate uses test and a verbal memory task through two conditions: sit still (on a regular chair with instructions to not move) or freedom to move (on a wiggle stool with ability to move as they wanted). There was a significant effect of condition on novel ideas, as well as number of novel ideas/total ideation (creativity ratio). There was no significant difference by condition on the verbal memory task. Study 2 was a within-subject design. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, each student completed two of three conditions: sit still, freedom to move, and sit as usual (on a regular chair with instructions to sit as if they were paying attention in class). This study compared students' creative ideation and a focused attention task instead of Study 1's memory task. There was a significant effect of condition on novel ideas and creativity ratio, but pairwise comparisons were not statistically significant. There was no condition effect on focused attention. The freedom to move effects appear selective only for creative ideation. Implications for future research and small classroom changes to support natural movement are discussed.
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  Data: 2026
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        Value: 10.1037/edu0000980
    Languages:
      – Text: English
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        PageCount: 15
        StartPage: 194
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Physical Activities
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Student Behavior
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      – SubjectFull: Grade 6
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      – SubjectFull: Grade 7
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      – SubjectFull: Creative Thinking
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      – SubjectFull: Attention
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      – SubjectFull: Movement Education
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      – SubjectFull: Manipulative Materials
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      – TitleFull: Sit Still or Move More? The Impact of Fidgeting on Creativity
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