Increase Creativity
Creativity refers to the phenomenon whereby something
new is created which has some kind of subjective value (such as an Idea, a joke,
a literary work, a painting or musical composition, a solution, an invention
etc.). It is also the qualitative impetus behind any given act of creation, and
it is generally perceived to be associated with intelligence and
cognition.
The range of
scholarly interest in creativity includes a multitude of definitions and
approaches involving several disciplines; psychology, cognitive science,
education, philosophy (particularly philosophy of science), technology,
theology, sociology, linguistics, business studies, and economics, taking
in the relationship between creativity and general intelligence, mental and
neurological processes associated with creativity, the relationships between
personality type and creative ability and between creativity and mental health,
the potential for fostering creativity through education and training,
especially as augmented by technology, and the application of creative resources
to improve the effectiveness of learning and teaching
processes.
Definition
In a summary
of scientific research into creativity Michael Mumford suggested: "Over the
course of the last decade, however, we seem to have reached a general agreement
that creativity involves the production of novel, useful products" (Mumford,
2003, p. 110). Creativity can also be defined "as the process of producing
something that is both original and worthwhile" or "characterized by originality
and expressiveness and imaginative". What is produced can come in many forms and
is not specifically singled out in a subject or area. Authors have diverged
dramatically in their precise definitions beyond these general commonalities:
Peter Meusburger reckons that over a hundred different analyses can be found in
the literature.
Aspects of
creativity
Theories of
creativity (particularly investigation of why some people are more creative than
others) have focused on a variety of aspects. The dominant factors are usually
identified as "the four Ps" - process, product, person and place. A focus on
process is shown in cognitive approaches that try to describe thought
mechanisms and techniques for creative thinking. Theories invoking divergent
rather than convergent thinking (such as Guilford), or those describing the
staging of the creative process (such as Wallas) are primarily theories of
creative process. A focus on creative product usually appears in attempts
to measure creativity (psychometrics, see below) and in creative ideas framed as
successful memes. The psychometric approach to creativity reveals that it also
involves the ability to produce more. A focus on the nature of the creative
person considers more general intellectual habits, such as openness,
levels of ideation, autonomy, expertise, exploratory behavior and so on. A focus
on place considers the circumstances in which creativity flourishes, such
as degrees of autonomy, access to resources and the nature of gatekeepers.
Creative lifestyles are characterized by nonconforming attitudes and behaviors
as well as flexibility.
An article
by R.J. Sternberg in the Creativity Research Journal reviewed the
"investment" theory of creativity as well as the "propulsion" theory of creative
contribution, suggesting that there are eight types of creative contribution;
replication - confirming that the given field is in the correct place -
redefinition - the attempt to redefine where the field is and how it is
viewed - forward incrementation - a creative contribution that moves the
field forward in the direction in which it is already moving - advance
forward movement - which advances the field past the point where others are
ready for it to go - redirection - which moves the field in a new,
different direction - redirection from a point in the past - which moves
the field back to a previous point to advance in a different direction -
starting over/ re-initiation - moving the field to a different starting
point - and integration - combining two or more diverse ways of thinking
about the field into a single way of thinking.
Historical importance
James C.
Kaufman and Beghetto introduced a "four C" model of creativity; mini-c
("transformative learning" involving "personally meaningful interpretations of
experiences, actions and insights"), little-c (everyday problem solving
and creative expression), Pro-C (exhibited by people who are
professionally or vocationally creative though not necessarily eminent) and
Big-C (creativity considered great in the given field). This model was
intended to help accommodate models and theories of creativity that stressed
competence as an essential component and the historical transformation of a
creative domain as the highest mark of creativity. It also, the authors argued,
made a useful framework for analysing creative processes in
individuals.
The contrast
of terms "Big C" and "Little c" has been widely used. Kozbelt, Beghetto and
Runco use a little-c/Big-C model to review major theories of creativity Margaret
Boden distinguishes between h-creativity (historical) and p-creativity
(personal).
Robinson and
Anna Craft have focussed on creativity in a general population, particularly
with respect to education. Craft makes a similar distinction between "high" and
"little c" creativity. and cites Ken Robinson as referring to "high" and
"democratic" creativity. Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi has defined creativity in
terms of those individuals judged to have made significant creative, perhaps
domain-changing contributions. Simonton has analysed the career trajectories of
eminent creative people in order to map patterns and predictors of creative
productivity.
new is created which has some kind of subjective value (such as an Idea, a joke,
a literary work, a painting or musical composition, a solution, an invention
etc.). It is also the qualitative impetus behind any given act of creation, and
it is generally perceived to be associated with intelligence and
cognition.
The range of
scholarly interest in creativity includes a multitude of definitions and
approaches involving several disciplines; psychology, cognitive science,
education, philosophy (particularly philosophy of science), technology,
theology, sociology, linguistics, business studies, and economics, taking
in the relationship between creativity and general intelligence, mental and
neurological processes associated with creativity, the relationships between
personality type and creative ability and between creativity and mental health,
the potential for fostering creativity through education and training,
especially as augmented by technology, and the application of creative resources
to improve the effectiveness of learning and teaching
processes.
Definition
In a summary
of scientific research into creativity Michael Mumford suggested: "Over the
course of the last decade, however, we seem to have reached a general agreement
that creativity involves the production of novel, useful products" (Mumford,
2003, p. 110). Creativity can also be defined "as the process of producing
something that is both original and worthwhile" or "characterized by originality
and expressiveness and imaginative". What is produced can come in many forms and
is not specifically singled out in a subject or area. Authors have diverged
dramatically in their precise definitions beyond these general commonalities:
Peter Meusburger reckons that over a hundred different analyses can be found in
the literature.
Aspects of
creativity
Theories of
creativity (particularly investigation of why some people are more creative than
others) have focused on a variety of aspects. The dominant factors are usually
identified as "the four Ps" - process, product, person and place. A focus on
process is shown in cognitive approaches that try to describe thought
mechanisms and techniques for creative thinking. Theories invoking divergent
rather than convergent thinking (such as Guilford), or those describing the
staging of the creative process (such as Wallas) are primarily theories of
creative process. A focus on creative product usually appears in attempts
to measure creativity (psychometrics, see below) and in creative ideas framed as
successful memes. The psychometric approach to creativity reveals that it also
involves the ability to produce more. A focus on the nature of the creative
person considers more general intellectual habits, such as openness,
levels of ideation, autonomy, expertise, exploratory behavior and so on. A focus
on place considers the circumstances in which creativity flourishes, such
as degrees of autonomy, access to resources and the nature of gatekeepers.
Creative lifestyles are characterized by nonconforming attitudes and behaviors
as well as flexibility.
An article
by R.J. Sternberg in the Creativity Research Journal reviewed the
"investment" theory of creativity as well as the "propulsion" theory of creative
contribution, suggesting that there are eight types of creative contribution;
replication - confirming that the given field is in the correct place -
redefinition - the attempt to redefine where the field is and how it is
viewed - forward incrementation - a creative contribution that moves the
field forward in the direction in which it is already moving - advance
forward movement - which advances the field past the point where others are
ready for it to go - redirection - which moves the field in a new,
different direction - redirection from a point in the past - which moves
the field back to a previous point to advance in a different direction -
starting over/ re-initiation - moving the field to a different starting
point - and integration - combining two or more diverse ways of thinking
about the field into a single way of thinking.
Historical importance
James C.
Kaufman and Beghetto introduced a "four C" model of creativity; mini-c
("transformative learning" involving "personally meaningful interpretations of
experiences, actions and insights"), little-c (everyday problem solving
and creative expression), Pro-C (exhibited by people who are
professionally or vocationally creative though not necessarily eminent) and
Big-C (creativity considered great in the given field). This model was
intended to help accommodate models and theories of creativity that stressed
competence as an essential component and the historical transformation of a
creative domain as the highest mark of creativity. It also, the authors argued,
made a useful framework for analysing creative processes in
individuals.
The contrast
of terms "Big C" and "Little c" has been widely used. Kozbelt, Beghetto and
Runco use a little-c/Big-C model to review major theories of creativity Margaret
Boden distinguishes between h-creativity (historical) and p-creativity
(personal).
Robinson and
Anna Craft have focussed on creativity in a general population, particularly
with respect to education. Craft makes a similar distinction between "high" and
"little c" creativity. and cites Ken Robinson as referring to "high" and
"democratic" creativity. Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi has defined creativity in
terms of those individuals judged to have made significant creative, perhaps
domain-changing contributions. Simonton has analysed the career trajectories of
eminent creative people in order to map patterns and predictors of creative
productivity.