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RUNNING HEAD: Creative Mind

Explaining the Creative Mind

Carlo Magno

De La Salle University-Manila

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Abstract

Creativity is explained in the different perspectives of psychology as a mental and social process.

The different dimensions of creativity from available theories were based on influences,

description of the task, ability, and characteristics of individuals who experience it. In the present

article, creativity is explained in five major themes: (1) attributes of creativity, (2) forms and

outlets, (3) factors that stimulate it, (4) situations where it is facilitated, and (5) situations that

hinder it. There is a connection on how one conceptualizes creativity and the process involved in

stimulating and facilitating it. The connection is explained on some common clusters that come

out for each major theme. Creativity is generally explained to have multiple attributes. Creativity

is stimulated and facilitated based on one’s belief. The self and social factors can hinder

creativity.

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Explaining the Creative Mind

Human’s ability to create is considered a psychological function. Creativity is an

extrinsic and intrinsic response in which humans value an object and an event for its sake and

consequence (Lanier, 1991). Creativity as a product constitutes its “essence,” the content

subsidiary, that can be relevant or irrelevant that depends to the perceiver (Lanier, 1991). The

process of creativity is described as inherent, with presence of presence of essential quality,

important, and not definitive to all. The concept of creativity is changing and independent in

relation to the material universe and the product of our interaction with it. In the idealist view,

creativity is a product of an executed imagination. Thought and ideas came up first before the

object arise or became tangible or contingent.

In the field of psychology creativity can be explained with different perspectives. In the

humanistic, existential, and positive psychology creativity is associated with human nature. In

psychoanalysis, Freud placed an importance to art in the expression of the unconscious mind.

Carl Jung later recognized the role of creativity in the mental health profession. Later on Rollo

humanistic and existential theorists like Rollo May and Diamond believed creativity had an

important role in healing and establishing genuine meaning in life (Hoffman & Calvert, 2007).

Creativity can also be seen as a social construct serving social purposes and reflecting the

development of society (Silvia, 2007). It also reflects how people’s minds have gone far

(Sternberg, 2006). Chapman (1978) sees creativity as a developmental activity, nurturing

personal maturity and develops identity and openness to experience. Through creativity we

emphasize and heighten the qualities of experience that we meet only accidentally when

confronting other things and event in the world. In terms of cognition, creativity is explained in

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perceptual acuity, humaness, right brain growth (still questionable), mental development, and

other mental skills (Neisser, 1976; Piirto, 2004).

There is a rich number of empirical evidence of creativity as explained in psychology. It

is evident through available numerous theories in studying it as a mental process (Simonton,

2007). One is the imitation theory where a person’s essential characteristic faithfully mirror life,

imitation of essences, picturing universal qualities of objects, what makes the work of creativity

is its versimilitude. Another is the emotionalist theory which asserts that art is an expression of

the artist’s feelings communicated to the viewer. We absorb those feelings from the work of art

and experience them ourselves. In the formalist theory, the response to art is absolutely unique

among human experiences and that is provoked by the formal qualities of the visual relationships

that structure the work. In the intuition Theory, art is direct, intuitive confrontation of a

transcendental or spiritual realm of being, a reality in which reside such universal constructs as

moral. In the evaluation theory, creativity emphasizes the placement of value on objects and

events.

Development of Creativity

The field of developmental psychology also explains how creativity is developed in an

individual as they mature in life. In Bronfenbrenner’s ecologcoal systems theory, creativity is

developed as a feeling of individuality and identity that has a favorable effect on a person’s self-

concept (Bronfrenbrenner, 1979; Hurlock, 1982). Studies show that the forms of creativity

depend upon individual interests and abilities, opportunities to do what they want to do, and

activities that give the greatest satisfaction (Eisenstadt, 1978; Goertzel, Goertzel, & Goertzel,

1978; Simonton, 1984). Some young adults find a creative outlet in hobbies while others choose

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vocations in which they can express their creativity. There is also evidence that creativity is

weakened through constraints imposed by conventional socialization and challenging

experiences like in the face of obstacles (Simonton, 1994).

Cognition and Creativity

In the 1960’s from the growing demand of research, creativity came to be widely

recognized as a basis for scientific achievement (Anastasi, 1980). A research conducted by

MacKinnon (1962) and his associates at the University of California investigated large and

significant differences in a number of personality traits between creative and non-creative groups

(Welsh, 1975).

Most psychologists and educators generally recognize that creative talent is not

synonymous with academic intelligence and is rarely covered by tests yielding an IQ (Anastasi,

1998). Thurstone (1951) emphasized this distinction and provided a provocative analysis of the

possible role of ideational fluency, inductive reasoning, and certain perceptual tendencies in

creative behavior. He also called special attention to the contribution of non-intellectual,

temperamental factors to creative activity. He observed that creativity is encouraged by a

receptive as contrasted to a critical attitude toward novel ideas and that creative solutions are

likely to occur during period of relaxed, dispersed attention that during periods of active

concentration on a problem.

Guilford (1959) arrived at creativity constructs that are components of creative work.

These constructs are word fluency, ideational fluency, associational fluency, expressional

fluency, alternate uses, plot titles, consequences, possible jobs, making objects, sketches, match

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problems, and decorations. Guilford uses these constructs in developing creativity test measure

although it is still in its experimental form.

According to Coleman, Kaufman, and Ray (1993) that being creative at work includes

certain correctness, usefulness, valuable, meaningful, flexible, and open to new possibilities.

They also considered four new myriad faces of creativity: (a) Groundbreaking ideas (ex. debt for

land swaps, saving tropical forests, helping impoverished countries, theory of relativity, concept

of genetic engineering), (b) Imaginative expression of caring and compassion (concept of “meals

and wheels,” birthing rooms, the AIDS quilt, Gandhi’s strategy for protesting injustice and non-

violence), (c) Grand vision of hope and truth that show the way to others (ex. Bill of rights,

Gettysburg address, Martin Luther King’s “I have a dream” speech, and (d) Bright ideas

(includes useful and economical strategies of dealing with our practical living). These themes

involve concepts of manifesting creativity with a sense of social purpose. These patterns

demonstrate a purpose of improving and achieving for a larger societal benefit that will serve for

other people as well. Creativity does not only manifest an individualistic concept but a societal or

collective dimension as well (Markus & Kitayama, 1991; Sawyer, 2006; Weisberg, 2006).

According to Gardner (1982), being creative mean looking at an individual’s specific

field or domain. He refutes the concept of creativity as a global talent but rather observing an

individual carrying over a specialized task. Observing a person’s task involves how they carry

over the problem and how their solution is received. And the individual has the ability to do the

entire process regularly. In line with his theory of multiple intelligences, creativity is

characterized by the ability to adapt to almost any situation and to make situation and to make do

with whatever is at hand to reach their goals.

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A contemporary view of creativity as an intelligence is explained by Sternberg (2006) in

theory of successful intelligences. In this theory, creative intelligence is comes out when

individual are faced with problems and they assess how well they can cope with relative novelty.

In measures of intelligence, it is important to include problems that are relatively novel in nature.

This theory explains creativity when individuals experience problems and how they use come up

with solutions considering each problem is a new task.

Creative Personality

Czikszentmihalyi (1996) proposed different factors on why an individual becomes

creative. These factors that explain creativity are (1) Genetic predisposition – some individuals

are born with a nervous system sensitive to color and sound etc. (2) Access to domain – being

born to affluent family, close to good schools, mentors, and coaches. (3) Access to field –

Terribly knowledgeable in a specified field. She also identified ten dimensions of a creative

personality these are: (1) great deal of physical energy, (2) being smart yet naïve, (3)

combination of playfulness and discipline, (4) alternate between imagination and fantasy and a

rooted sense of reality, (5) harbor introvertness and extrovertness, (6) remarkably humble and

proud, (7) to a certain extent escape the rigid gender role stereotyping, (8) a certain extent

traditionalist, (9) very passionate about their work yet they can extremely be objective about

their work, and (10) exposure to suffering and pain with a great deal of enjoyment.

The Study

The different dimensions of creativity were based on influences, description of the task,

ability, and characteristics of individuals who experience it. I will explain creativity as mental

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process by identifying (1) dimensions of its attributes, (2) forms and outlets, (3) factors that

stimulate it, (4) situations where it is facilitated, and (5) situations that hinder it. To determine

the explanations in these five major themes of creativity, a questionnaire was constructed. The

questions were open-ended so that the participants can freely express their thoughts about the

topic creativity. The structure of the questionnaire is generative about the process and concept of

creativity (ex. What is creativity for you? What outlets do you show creativity? When are you

usually creative? What makes you creative? What hinders your creativity?). There were 100

participants selected purposively to answer the questionnaire. Half of the participants were

faculty teaching literature, design, and arts, the rest were students who are majors in literature

and courses in the field of design and arts. The responses from the questionnaire were analyzed

using cluster analysis to arrive with different dimensions in explaining creativity based on the

five major themes mentioned.

Attributes of Creativity

There are seven attributes of creativity identified. These attributes involve development,

expression, generation, transformation, uniqueness, utility, and value. Development as an

attribute means developing one’s capabilities. Developing these capabilities can be difficult

(“something that is difficult’). It is also characterized as being ingenius in all tasks (“being

ingenius in everything you do”).

Creativity is also characterized as an expression where internal processes are shown and

brought out (“manifesting an inner feeling or imagination” and “process of masterful

unconscious brought out into reality”).

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The generation attribute is focused on the implementation of work and specific tasks

(“Being productive in the sense of doing something “). The process of generation also includes

the formation of ideas (“potent in forming new concepts”).

The dimension of transformation includes the ability to make or create something out of

nothing (“means of making a lemon out of a lemonade”).

The transformation involves a process of reinventing something new (“a way of getting

out something new out of something old”).

Uniqueness is also an attribute of creativity where an individual thinks and creates ideas

that is different (“creating new ideas” and “something different from the usual things to do”).

Creativity is also described as utility where an individual thinks on the usefulness of

things (“knowing how to use different things to form something”). Creativity is also seen as a

value. This value is attributed to God (“God given gifts that all of us have but only a few are

using it”) and existential (“existential value of doing something in an aesthetic manner”).

Forms and Outlets of Creativity

Creativity when expressed comes in different forms. The categories of these forms are

commonly through artworks. The forms of these artworks are the visual arts (drawing, sketching,

painting, and laying out of materials), language arts (writing and reciting poems, literary writing,

words, making speeches), and music (singing, playing instruments, composing), kinesthetic

(acting, directing plays, facial expression, dancing). Other outlets are the mental activities

(thinking, “It’s all in the mind,” expressing opinions), intrapersonal (expressing feelings by

adding colors in action, emphasizing, contemplation and observation, by being different, being

natural and free, courting), through leisure (cooking, decorating, playing chess, marketing, gift

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and letters given, way of dressing), and academic activities (applying the things learned, doing

school projects, doing assignments, Innovation in one’s work, being resourceful, actual

presentation, making small things big things, Style and innovation).

Stimulating Creativity

The process of stimulating creativity involves a person’s beliefs that creativity is innate

or fixed and changing or can be developed. Creativity as innate involves the belief that it is

inborn, and a natural talent (“Gift from God,” “comes at certain time naturally,” “during early

years in life,” “childhood”). On the other hand, it is also believed that it can be developed and

changed through socialization (“through socialization, friends, seeing other people” and “from

environment”), learning (“through time and practice, experience, and training), motivation

(“stimulation from others, motivated”), and education (“knowledge about the world”) and media

(“TV, radio, magazine”).

Facilitating Creativity

Facilitating creativity involves various avenues where a person can maintain and activate

the drive to become creative.

Creativity is facilitated when the person is in the appropriate emotional state. Different

emotional states trigger one to become creative. These emotional states include when one is

inspired, in a lighter mood, depressed, hyper, happy, sad, emotions is at peak, one feels like it,

wanting to express feelings/energy, relaxed, and in love.

Internal states also facilitate one to become creative. These internal states are resources

that one has in becoming creative such as using talents and abilities, interest (“likes what he/she

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is doing”), memory (“see objects and experience moments worth remembering and preserving”),

motivation (“when properly motivated”), and thinking (“when the person thinks of something”).

A person’s creativity is facilitated based on the social structure. Others are more creative

when alone (“Alone,” “moment of solitude”) and when with others (“when with friends”). The

time of the day which is a temporal context also facilitates creativity.

Individuals become creative almost every time, everyday, at night, during full moon, very

early in the morning, and before going to sleep. A person’s creativity is also facilitated when one

experiences deficit or lack or resources (“in the absence of things needed”).

Hindrances to Creativity

There are several factors that hinder a person to become creative. These factors range

from the self to others and environment. The factors stemming from the self includes lack of

potential, negative affect, and physiological while the social and environmental factors include

lack of resources, social limitation, thwarted goals, and time pressure.

Lack of potential involves aspects of the self that is unwilling to use necessary resources

to become creative. Examples are lack of self-confidence, self-esteem, unwillingness,

uncomfortable, laziness and dependent on others, mental block, not using skills, lack of

motivation, lack of ideas, and inability to determine what's wrong with one’s life. Negative affect

involves emotions and states that is difficult to regulate. Examples of negative states are stress,

busy, pressure, problems, disturbance, and mood swings. Physiological factors include situation

when one is hungry or lacks sleep. Lack of resources includes the unavailability of money and

other resources to become creative. The social limitations that blocks one to be creative are

conventions of society, rules and regulations, and noises. Thwarted goals include people that

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stand in the way and fear of rejection. And time pressure involves time factor and when one is

bombarded by academics and becomes exhausted.

Integration

There is a connection on the attributes and facilitation of creativity. This is shown when

creativity is viewed as an expression which is always driven by emotions and feelings. These

emotions can be both facilitate and hinder creativity. Creativity is usually equated as an

expression because when we engage in the act of creating novel and unique outputs, it always

involve the passion and enthusiasm for what we are doing. Creativity as an expression involves

an artistic experience which cannot be duplicated with exact precision. Achieving uniqueness

gives the creator a sense of originality for their work. Being creative involves making ordinary

things exquisite and extraordinary. The process includes being resourceful in handling simple

things, transforming it into something meaningful, and breaking the boundaries of convention.

When we generate and venture new areas, we do not only include the product but rather the

process of ideas. The skills that involve in creativity are usually being resourceful. Individuals’

have the ability to make use of different and simple materials with adequate and appropriate skill

of manipulation in a transformation process.

Stimulating creativity depends on one’s belief. Creativity can be traditionally viewed as a

genetic predisposition as verified by Czikszentmihalyi (1996) and Sawyer (2006). Creativity is

conceived in this perspective as an inherited trait that can be passed on to the next generation. It

is generally innate and people with this kind of genetic make-up can execute particular tasks

successfully. Creativity is commonly associated with the use of talents and abilities. Usually

people perceive individuals as creative because of their talent and abilities. The argument is that

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anyone can be creative. There must be a variation between those who are ordinarily creative and

those creative with talent. Creativity is not only based on genetic endowment but it can be

acquired and consolidated (supports the claims of Weinberg, 2007). This means that creativity

can be developed by practicing it, immersing our self with the experience, and through constant

training. Learning as a process is one of the most important way of acquiring creativity. Many

successful athletes, ballerinas, dancers, actors, and musicians are performing excellently through

proper training and constant practice.

Creativity is facilitated in the process of socialization with other people. It is evident that

people perform better in a group. There are numerous theories that account for individual

performance in a group dynamic and creativity is one factor that can be explored (Agrell &

Gustafson, 1996; Drach-Zahavy & Somech, 2001; Magno, Lajom, & Regodon, 2008). On the

other hand, individuals can be creative when they are alone. Some individuals work better when

they are not affected or disturbed. People have a deeper level of concentration in creating

something when no external factors disturb them.

One can be creative all the time. Creativity is usually associated will all the things that we

do in every time of the day. Most of the things and almost all events can involve creativity.

From cooking to dressing up involves creativity. Being creative tend to be shown when

opportunities come like when the situation calls for it most especially when it is a project

requirement or activities that needs a touch of creative sense.

There is a pattern indicating that the forms and outlets in which creativity is shown are

parallel to the domains of intelligence by Gardner. The data has been clustered according to a

common category. When the categories are labeled the pattern appeared synonymous to the

multiple “intelligences.”

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The present article has set some groundwork in further developing the concept of

creativity. A more scientific inquiry should be done in clarifying creativity as a construct where

factors need to be established. There is also a great need to develop models of creativity that can

explain how it is activated and hindered.

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