Defining Creativity

Creativity, when viewed as a psychological process, is defined as the generation of something novel that appropriately solves a problem or responds to a challenge. There are three important elements in this definition: 1) the creation, generation or production of something (idea, object, treaty, etc.) 2) novel, new, innovative, unique or original that 3) serves a purpose, solves a problem, or neutralizes dissonance. (Guilford, 1950; Sternberg, 2006; Flora, 2009; Sternberg & Lubart, 1996; Runco, 2008; Maddux & Galinsky, 2009; Runco, 2007; Ivcevic, 2009; Morris, 2006; Hegarty, 2009)

It is important to define creativity because I have found that what an artist thinks of as creativity: a spontaneous, organic, originative process, tends to focus on action, whereas many theorists view creativity in terms of the product that is created as a result of this creative action. I am not suggesting that that artists do not value the product of creativity, but, the process of being creative, for many artists, is enormously rewarding, and is a necessary component of living a fulfilling life, with the product being a part of that process, completely inseparable, but still just one aspect of the whole. The process of being creative, frequently thought of in terms of the production of art and laid out in countless models by researchers, is made up of several components, which, for artists, may occur in a very instinctual, non-linear manner. Artist do not follow conceptual models, these models have instead been developed to try to understand the artistic process, which for most artists, functions with uncanny precision, never requiring definition. The arts are not the only disciplines where creativity exists, they are just the most obvious.

So why study creativity? If is it instinctual to creative individuals, should we assume that those who are not instinctually creative are not meant to be? Or are we all instinctively creative, falling victim to life situations and educational environments that stomp this innate ability out with 12+ years of rote memorization and standardized tests? These are questions that lead to the larger question that will be addressed here: is there any point to studying creativity?

The answer is yes. I intend to demonstrate here how creativity can first be understood (definitions and conceptual models), and then follow with studies demonstrating that it can also be cultivated and trained in individuals. The consumer value is pretty easy to illustrate: look around you. All of the products you use, books you enjoy, films you view, all of the tools that help you complete tasks, each one is the product of creative innovation. These things clearly benefit society in concrete ways, but there are other deeper ways in which creativity can benefit society. Practicing creativity can be a way of building self-efficacy, it helps the individual learn to make qualitative judgments about works and gain confidence in their own ability to make appropriate choices. It teaches flexibility. The creative process also teaches individuals to observe and contemplate. This blog will discuss many of these gains as it reviews research that demonstrates them.


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