creativity Flashcards
validating and correlates of intelligence
are iq tests etc good predictors of beh outcomes - “g” or IQ are accurate predictors of performance during primary and secondary school (e.g. Brody, 2000).
other correlates - reaction time and inspection time. However, measures of reaction time or inspection time are poorer predictors of learning ability and educational/ occupational outcomes than cognitive ability tests (IQ
creativity and personality
Studies have revealed links between creativity and openness to experience.
Openness could in fact be interpreted as a self-report measure of creativity (Chamorro-Premuzic & Furnham, 2005).
King et al. (1996) found that verbal creativity was significantly associated with openness to experience and Extraversion. Openness was the most significant predictor.
Feist (1998) looked at factors that distinguished creative from less creative scientists and the most important factors were Openness and Extraversion.
creativity as a form of intelligence
Binet’s test included open-ended items to measure imagination.
Barron and Harrington (1981) i referred to creativity as “an ability manifested by performance in critical trials such as tests etc.”
Sternberg and Lubart (1995) argued that “there is a clear component of intelligence in creative thinking”
Guilford (1975) described divergent production, referring to producing multiple solutions to problems. However, objective scoring is almost impossible. Guildford identify a number of important aspects of creativity: flexibility, problem identification, fluency, and originality.
Cattell (1971) viewed creativity as a combination of primary skills such as sensitivity, motor speed, rhythm, and timing (along with personality).
Gardner (1993) looked at individuals who have made exceptional creative contributions e.g. in music or art.
intelligence as a form of creativity
Creativity is seen as the precondition for intelligence in Sternberg and Lubart’s (1995) investment theory.
Sternberg proposed that 3 aspects of intelligence underlie creativity:
Synthetic intelligence: Used to combine different cognitions and produce novel associations.
Analytical intelligence: Allows creative individuals to judge the value of an idea.
Practical intelligence: Important for selling ideas to others.
intelligence and creativity as identical constructs
require scores on creativity and intelligence measures to be highly correlated.
Weisberg and Alba (1981) argued that no qualitative differences exist.
The nine-dot problem is often used an example: the correct solution is also the creative solution.
intelligence and creativity as unrelated cosntructs
Intelligence: adaptation to existing environments.
creativity: changing existing environments to create new ones (Sternberg, 1985).
Would be demonstrated by low or non-significant correlations between creativity and intelligence, but most findings show significant correlations
intelligence and creativity as overlapping constructs
Barron (1963) administered divergent thinking and cognitive ability tests. The correlation was .40 However, when IQ was higher than 120 there was a poor correlation with creativity
Other studies have reported variable correlations, ranging from -.05 to .30
The Threshold theory of creativity and intelligence implies that a minimum level of intelligence is required to be creative (Guilford, 1967). Guilford and Christensen (1973) found that students with lower intelligence were less creative but that those with higher intelligence were neither higher or lower in creativity. Conclusion: intelligence is necessary but not sufficient for creativity.
Renzulli (1978; 1986) proposed the three-ring theory of giftedness
testing creativity
The Alternative Uses Test (divergent thinking)
remote associations test
consequences test
word associations test (as many meanings as poss for same word)
Torrance Test of Creativity and Thinking.
Divergent production of semantic units:
Name all the things you can think of that are red and edible.
Alternative relations:
In what ways are dogs and cats related?
Production of systems:
Write as many sentences you can using the words rain, station, and summer.
Scores are significantly correlated with creative achievement measures (Torrance, 1975).
dissociations between creativity and intellligence
Unfocussing (daydreaming) may allow a creative solution to pop up!
Expertise may hamper creativity.
Blockade, e.g. writers-block.
(intelligence blockade is rare)
Drugs (LSD, cocaine) may enhance creativity (artists).
Does it need to be ‘worthwhile’ or ‘appropriate’?
It is always unexpected, not planned.
Divergent rather than convergent thinking.
Open-mindedness
brain functions and creativity
Right hemisphere is ‘creative’, left hemisphere is ‘analytic’.
However, most studies indicate both hemispheres contribute to both processes, though the RH may dominate in creative thinking
