# Scaffolding Recursive Divergence and Convergence in Story Ideation

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2507.03307 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2507.03307/

## Key facts

- Cited by 2 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- Builds on 30 of its 95 references that are in the map.
- First posted on arXiv 4 Jul 2025.

## Builds on (most cited first, 30 of 30)

- [Deep reinforcement learning from human preferences](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1706.03741/) (2017)
- [Can Large Language Models Be an Alternative to Human Evaluations?](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2305.01937/) (2023)
- [Can LLMs Generate Novel Research Ideas? A Large-Scale Human Study with 100+ NLP Researchers](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2409.04109/) (2024)
- [Social Simulacra: Creating Populated Prototypes for Social Computing Systems](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2208.04024/) (2022)
- [Art or Artifice? Large Language Models and the False Promise of Creativity](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2309.14556/) (2023)
- [Homogenization Effects of Large Language Models on Human Creative Ideation](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2402.01536/) (2024)
- [Transparent Image Layer Diffusion using Latent Transparency](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2402.17113/) (2024)
- [Luminate: Structured Generation and Exploration of Design Space with Large Language Models for Human-AI Co-Creation](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2310.12953/) (2023)
- [Shaping Human-AI Collaboration: Varied Scaffolding Levels in Co-writing with Language Models](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2402.11723/) (2024)
- [LAVE: LLM-Powered Agent Assistance and Language Augmentation for Video Editing](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2402.10294/) (2024)
- [Reasoning-Enhanced Healthcare Predictions with Knowledge Graph Community Retrieval](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2410.04585/) (2024)
- [Human Creativity in the Age of LLMs: Randomized Experiments on Divergent and Convergent Thinking](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2410.03703/) (2024)
- [IdeaSynth: Iterative Research Idea Development Through Evolving and Composing Idea Facets with Literature-Grounded Feedback](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2410.04025/) (2024)
- [PromptPaint: Steering Text-to-Image Generation Through Paint Medium-like Interactions](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2308.05184/) (2023)
- [Aligning Language Models with Demonstrated Feedback](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2406.00888/) (2024)
- [Patchview: LLM-Powered Worldbuilding with Generative Dust and Magnet Visualization](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2408.04112/) (2024)
- [The AI Ghostwriter Effect: When Users Do Not Perceive Ownership of AI-Generated Text But Self-Declare as Authors](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2303.03283/) (2023)
- [The Role of Inclusion, Control, and Ownership in Workplace AI-Mediated Communication](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2309.11599/) (2023)
- [Model Sketching: Centering Concepts in Early-Stage Machine Learning Model Design](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2303.02884/) (2023)
- [CodeToon: Story Ideation, Auto Comic Generation, and Structure Mapping for Code-Driven Storytelling](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2208.12981/) (2022)
- [Not Just Novelty: A Longitudinal Study on Utility and Customization of an AI Workflow](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2402.09894/) (2024)
- [Authors' Values and Attitudes Towards AI-bridged Scalable Personalization of Creative Language Arts](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2403.00439/) (2024)
- [A Character-Centric Creative Story Generation via Imagination](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2409.16667/) (2024)
- [Textoshop: Interactions Inspired by Drawing Software to Facilitate Text Editing](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2409.17088/) (2024)
- [Ai.llude: Encouraging Rewriting AI-Generated Text to Support Creative Expression](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2405.17843/) (2024)
- [VRCopilot: Authoring 3D Layouts with Generative AI Models in VR](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2408.09382/) (2024)
- [Enhancing user creativity: Semantic measures for idea generation](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2106.10131/) (2021)
- [PromptInfuser: How Tightly Coupling AI and UI Design Impacts Designers' Workflows](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2310.15435/) (2023)
- [Unequal Opportunities: Examining the Bias in Geographical Recommendations by Large Language Models](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2504.05325/) (2025)
- [Revenge of the 'Neurds': Characterizing Creative Thought in terms of the Structure and Dynamics of Memory](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1308.5037/) (2013)

## Built on by (most cited first, 2 of 2)

- [Perspectra: Choosing Your Experts Enhances Critical Thinking in Multi-Agent Research Ideation](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2509.20553/) (2025)
- [Seeing the Hivemind: A Consensus-Aware Interaction Technique for Mitigating AI Homogenization](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2606.09587/) (2026)

## Abstract (arXiv)

Human creative ideation involves both exploration of diverse ideas (divergence) and selective synthesis of explored ideas into coherent combinations (convergence). While processes of divergence and convergence are often interleaved and nested, existing AI-powered creativity support tools (CSTs) lack support for sophisticated orchestration of divergence and convergence. We present Reverger, an AI-powered CST that helps users ideate variations of conceptual directions for modifying a story by scaffolding flexible iteration between divergence and convergence. For divergence, our tool enables recursive exploration of alternative high-level directions for modifying a specific part of the original story. For convergence, it allows users to collect explored high-level directions and synthesize them into concrete variations. Users can then iterate between divergence and convergence until they find a satisfactory outcome. A within-subject study revealed that Reverger permitted participants to explore more unexpected and diverse high-level directions than a comparable baseline. Reverger users also felt that they had more fine-grained control and discovered more effort-worthy outcomes.