creative thinking and problem solving -...

Creative Thinking and Problem Solving

17/08/2015Day 1

F. Egemen Okutur

Creative Thinking and Problem Solving 17/08/2015 Day 1

About the Course:

Understand right brain vs left brain and how we use them differently

Know and understand the principles of creative thinking using the creative process

Follow the steps and use a structured, sequential approach to creative problem solving

Use practical tools to break monotony and enjoy finding solutions


Why study 'Creativity'?

Notice our creative talent

Solve problems more efficiently

Improve at learning, training

Become more innovative personally and careerwise


Day 1 Objectives:

An overall look at the concept of creativity

General definitions and misconceptions

Getting to know creative people and how creativity works

CreativityImaginative

Invention Innovation

Intelligence


INTRODUCTION TO CREATIVITY


Where does creativity come from?What makes creative people creative?Can I be creative?How do they think of it? (And I can't?!)

For thousands of years people have tried to understand creativity and the creative process.

(Gerlovina, 2011)



CREATIVITY:the ability to use skill and imagination to produce something new or to produce art; the act of doing this

Let's start with basics!What is CREATIVITY?

*Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary



CREATIVITY:creativity is what happens when an individual produces something that is novelas well as appropriate, generative or influential

“What is 2+2?”

Stokes, Patricia D. , 2006



CREATIVITY:

An Effective surprise (Bruner, 1962)

How you decide to use what you know (Sternberg, 1999)



WHAT IS 'NOT' CREATIVITY?

SOME MYTHS ABOUT CREATIVITY




IT'S ABOUT HOW INTELLIGENT YOU ARE

NO!



YOUNGER PEOPLE ARE MORE CREATIVE

NO!



CREATIVE PEOPLE ARE ECCENTRIC AND CRAZY

NO!



CREATIVITY IS A SOLO ACT

NO!



YOU CAN'T CONTROL OR MANAGE CREATIVITY

NO!


INVENTIONthe act or process of inventing,

the discovery or production of some new or improved process or machine that is both useful and is not obvious to persons skilled in the particular field

something that has never been made before, or the process of creating something that has never been made before

INVENTto create or devise (new ideas, machines, etc.)

CREATIVITYthe ability to use skill and imagination to produce something new or to produce art

Cambridge Dictionaries Online

Collins Dictionary

Collins Dictionary

TERMS RELATED TO CREATIVITY


the introduction of new things, ideas or ways of doing something(in something) a new idea, way of doing something, etc. that has been introduced or discovered

Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

(the use of) a new idea or methodCambridge Dictionaries Online

Making changes to something established by introducing something new

The New Oxford Dictionary of English


INNOVATION



INVENTION INNOVATION

Invention is the creation of a product or introduction of a process for the first time Thomas Edison was an inventor

Innovation happens when someone improves on

or makes a significant contribution to something that has already been invented Steve Jobs was an innovator



INVENTION INNOVATION

need not fulfill any useful customer need is more than the creation of something novel;also includes the exploitation for benefit by adding value to customers

is often measured as the ability to patent an idea

there are many innovations that do not require invention in termsof originality




IMAGINATIVE

having or showing new and exciting ideas

good at thinking of new, original, and clever ideasCambridge Dictionaries Online





INTELLIGENCEthe ability to learn, understand and think in a logical way about things; the ability to do this well

the ability to learn, understand, and make judgements or have opinions that are based on reason

Cambridge Dictionaries Online




9 dots

Connect the 9 dots with a maximum of 4 lines

without lifting your pen

CREATIVE THINKING EXAMPLE


Let's take a break!


CREATIVITYthe ability to use skill and imagination to produce something new or to produce art; the act of doing this

INTELLIGENCEthe ability to learn, understand and think in a logical way about things

Feldhusen (1993) wrote that creativity has readying and predisposingconditions, one being intelligence, but that while intelligence is an asset, it is not a sufficient condition for creative behavior.

CREATIVITY VS INTELLIGENCE




Sternberg (1985)

that creativity overlaps with intelligence, cognitive style, and personality/motivation, and that it has socio-cultural as well as experiential correlates





Threshold Theory:Intelligence is a necessary, but not sufficient condition for creativity. There is a moderate positive relationship between creativity and intelligence until IQ ~120

Certification Theory:Creativity is not intrinsically related to intelligence. Instead individuals are required to meet the requisite level intelligence in order to gain a certain level of education/work, which then in turn offers the opportunity to be creative. Displays of creativity are moderated by intelligence

Interference Theory:Extremely high intelligence might interfere with creative ability



BASIC THEORIES OF CREATIVITY

Theories of creativity have focused on a variety of aspects; relations between creativity and general intelligence

mental and neurological processes personality type and creative ability

creativity and mental health


Antiquity

Renaissance

Industrial Age

Gods & Muses

Reason, learning, knowledge

Need to understand creativity



Modernism

Post-war

Postmodernism

Age of Communication

Observation, reason, research

Emotion, inspiration

Relativism, rejection of utopia, scepticism

Self therapy?



Major approaches to creativity

study of genius psychodynamic approach

humanistic approach psychedelic approach

psychometric approach behavioural approach

cognitive approach evolving system approach historiometric approach

social-personality approach



Mystical Approaches to the study of Creativity

Creativity is a spiritual process “A poet is able to create only that what the Muse dictates”

Plato Human is an empty vessel Made it harder for scientific studies to be heard



Pragmatic Approaches to the study of Creativity

About developing creativity Uses techniques like, 6 thinking hats, brainstorming Made the field popular More concerned about results, than the process



Psychodinamic Approaches to the study of Creativity

Based on the idea that;Creativity arises from the tension between

Conscious realityand

Unconscious drives Adaptive regression & Elaboration May lead to repetitive thoughts



Psychometric Approaches to the study of Creativity

creativity can be studeied on everyday subjects creativity is something that can be taught creativity is simply a matter of divergent thinking focus less on the unconscious



Social Personality Approaches to the study of Creativity

focuses on: Personality variables Motivational variables Sociocultural environment



Confluence Approaches to the study of Creativity

seeks multiple components for creativity to occur;

Motivation

Knowledge

Talents

Thinking styles

Personality

Environment



“It is better to have enough ideas for some ofthem to be wrong, than to be always right byhaving no ideas at all.” — Edward de Bono


Let's take a break!


“To draw, you must close your eyes and sing.” — Pablo Picasso


CREATIVE PEOPLE..

WHO ARE THEY?!!!


creative person is very complex;as is almost all of humankind..

HOW DO THEY DO IT?


HOW DO THEY DO IT?

TRAITS OF CREATIVE PEOPLE

1. Intelligent2. Independent in thought and action3. Intuitive4. Have a strong sense of destiny5. Original6. Open to experience, both the inner self and the outer world7. Have strong theoretical and aesthetic interests

MacKinnon, 1978


HOW DO THEY DO IT?

Traits of the Creative Personality

1. self discipline about work2. perseverance even when frustrated3. independence4. tolerance for unclear situations5. nonconformity to society's stereotypes6. ability to wait for rewards7. self - motivation to do excellent work8. a willingness to take risks

Amabile, 1989


CREATIVE PEOPLE IN ACTION

EXPERTISE

CREATIVE THINKING SKILLS

MOTIVATION

CREATIVITY

Amabile, 1988


WHAT DO THEY DO?

EXPERTISE:

all the relevant information that an individual brings to bear on a problem broader focus and varied interests a balance between depth and breadth of knowledge


WHAT DO THEY DO?

CREATIVE THINKING SKILLS:

Comfort in disagreeing with others and trying solutions Combining knowledge from previously disparate fields. Ability to persevere through difficult problems and dry spells. Ability to step away from an effort and return later with a fresh perspective


WHAT DO THEY DO?

MOTIVATION:

the most important component of creativity passion for one’s work combined with appropriate synergistic motivators people will be most creative when they feel motivated primarily by the

interest, satisfaction, and challenge of the work itself


HOW DO THEY DO IT?

1. Breaking set - breaking out of old patterns of thinking about something2. Understanding complexities - appreciating the fact that most things are not simple3. Keeping options open as long as possible4. Suspending judgment - generating as many ideas as possible5. Thinking broadly - trying to see as many relationships as possible between different ideas

Amabile, 1989


HOW DO THEY DO IT?

6. Remembering accurately - the more you can remember, the more ingredientsyou have at your disposal7. Breaking out of well worn habits of doing things8. Perceiving freshly, trying to see things differently from the way you or other people see them9. Using tricks or little rules of thumb that can help you think of new ideas - play with the ideas

Amabile, 1989


So how does it work?HOW THE BRAIN WORKS..


HOW THE BRAIN WORKS?

The 2 Hemispheres

We have two eyes, two hands, and two legs, so why not two brains?

The brain is divided in half, a right and left hemisphere



The right hemisphere deals more with visual activities and

Plays a role in putting things together.

For example, it takes visual information, puts it together, and says

"I recognize that--that's a chair" It organizes or groups information together



The left hemisphere tends tobe the more analytical part;

it analyzes information collected by the right. It takes information from the right hemisphere and applies language to it.

The right hemisphere "sees" a house, but the left hemisphere says,

"Oh yeah, I know whose house that is--it's Uncle Bob's house."


“It is better to have enough ideas for some ofthem to be wrong, than to be always right byhaving no ideas at all.” — Edward de Bono

Finished with day 1!

Think about thinking..


creative thinking and problem solving -...

Documents