Chapter 8: Creativity I

The Creative Person, Creative Process,The Creative Person, Creative Process, and Creative Dramaticsand Creative Dramatics

Artwork by Rene Schute (1969)Artwork by Rene Schute (1969)

Two interrelated purposes of gifted education

• To help these children and adolescents become more self-actualized, creative individuals

• To better enable them to make creative contributions to society

“The gift of fantasy has meant more to me than my talent for absorbing knowledge” ~Einstein

5 Levels of Creativity

1. Intuitive expressive level2. Academic and technical level3. Inventive level4. Innovative level5. Genius level

• “little c” “middle c” “big C

Characteristics of Creative people• Piirto’s 4 core attitudes – naïveté, self-discipline, risk-taking, group trust

• Maslow’s 15 Characteristics of Self-Actualized People

• Dabrowski’s Theory of Positive Disintegration

• Csikszentmihalyi’s Paradoxical and Complex Characteristics of Creative Persons – binary traits manifested simultaneously

• Not all creative characteristics apply to all creative people, some are “domain specific”

• “Because of their high energy, eagerness, inquisitiveness, rapid talking, and overactivity, some creative students have been diagnosed as having ADHD…[yet] some [not all] do have ADHD” (Davis & Rimm p. 208)

• Simonton (2003) noted, “Genius-Level talents probably reside at the delicate balance between a healthy and an unhealthy personality” (p. 362)

Creative Abilities• Guilford/Torrance’s four classic or commonly

accepted creative abilities: fluency, flexibility, originality, elaboration

• Other abilities: problem finding/sensitivity/defining, visualization, ability to regress, analogical thinking, evaluation, analysis, synthesis, transformation, extend boundaries, intuition, predict outcomes, resist premature closure, concentration, logical thinking, aesthetic thinking, etc.

The Creative Process - 3 Views

• The sequence of stages to proceed in when solving a problem

• The change in perception where new relationships, meanings, or new applications are identified

• The techniques or strategies that are used to produce new ideas, meanings, and combinations

Wallas Model (1926) w/Cropley’s Extension (1997)

1. Preparation 2. Information – Learning or remembering special knowledge3. Incubation4. Illumination5. Verification6. Communication – Achieving closure, gaining feedback, sharing

with other audiences7. Validation – Evaluation by others

- In the original Wallas model, “Implementation” was not addressed. (How is the solution to be carried out?)

- In both Wallas & Cropley models, stages may be skipped or the creative thinker may backtrack.

Systems Model of Creativity – (Csikzentmihalyi, 1996)

• Domain• Field• Individual

- Creativity happens when the individual invents, discovers, or creates within the domain and his/her creations are accepted as attractive and valuable by others who are established in the field.

- If any of these components are absent, the product does not become valued as “creativity” at that time.

The Creative Problem Solving Model Osborn (1963), Parnes (1981), Treffinger & Isaksen (2005),

Treffinger, Isaksen, & Dorval (1994)

1. Fact Finding - Who What, When, Where, Why and How questions *

2. Problem Finding – Definition of a problem determines the nature of the solutions

3. Idea Finding – Brainstorming stage*4. Solution Finding – Listing of criteria for evaluation of ideas (ex.

evaluation matrix)*5. Acceptance Finding – Idea Implementation, assisters vs.

resisters* Included in Alex Osborn’s Original Creative Problem Solving Model (1963)

Important Items About CPS Model:• 5 Steps of CPS allow flexible movement from any one

stage to any other stage. • In each phase, divergent thinking takes place first,

followed by convergent thinking to select the most promising ideas.

• Instruction in creative thinking SHOULD NOT ONLY focus on the Stage 3 – “Idea Finding” phase where brainstorming and divergent thinking occurs.

• REALISTIC creative thinking also relies on gathering facts and data, problem definition, evaluation and implementation of ideas.

Piirto’s Creative Process (2003)

• Inspiration• Imagery• Imagination• Intuition• Insight• Incubation• Improvisation (no emphasis on implementation or closure, however)

Creative Dramatics• Examples of creative dramatics include warm-ups,

movement exercises, sensory and body awareness, pantomime and playmaking

• Creative dramatics stimulate and strengthen (Carelli, 1981):Divergent and critical thinking, imagination, problem solving, sensory awareness, concentration, physical self control, identification and control of emotions, sense of humor, self-confidence, empathy and sympathy