Cultural blocks to creative decision making include a desire to conform to established norms,overemphasis on competition or conflict avoidance and smoothing,the drive to be practical and narrowly economical above all else,and a belief that indulging in fantasy or other forms of open-ended exploration is a waste of time.

Cultural blocks to creative decision making indeed encompass a range of attitudes and beliefs that can stifle innovation and creativity, such as a strong preference for conformity, an overemphasis on competition or an avoidance of conflict, a prioritization of practicality and economy to the exclusion of broader or more imaginative approaches, and a dismissal of open-ended exploration or fantasy as frivolous or unproductive. These cultural attitudes can limit the ability of individuals and organizations to think outside the box and come up with novel solutions to problems.