The Effects of Childhood on Creativity

1. The Effects of Childhood on Creativity Lyndsey Burton, Teckla Dixon, Jessica Jewell, Melissa Fundzak

2. The Birth Order Test Is the example describing: (A) a firstborn (B) a middle born (C) a youngest child (D) an only child

3. Frankly, as a kid my sister was a charming show-off. She was a little “con” artist. But today, she’s the top salesperson in her company and is highly successful. • My brother, Al, was nicknamed Albert Einstein because he was so good in math and science. He’s an engineer now, a conscientious perfectionist. • My friend is a bit of a maverick. She has a lot of friends but values her independence. A good mediator, she’d rather “read” people than books. She’s just the opposite of her only sister. • I’m able to get along better with older people than I do with my peers. Some people think I’m self-centered. • 5. I don’t know how my husband does it; his workshop is an absolute mess, but whenever he wants to find something, he knows exactly which pile it’s in.

4. Answers: • A, Oldest Child • C, Youngest Child • A, Oldest Child • B, Middle Child • D, Only Child

5. Frankly, as a kid my sister was a charming show-off. She was a little “con” artist. But today, she’s the top salesperson in her company and is highly successful. • My brother, Al, was nicknamed Albert Einstein because he was so good in math and science. He’s an engineer now, a conscientious perfectionist. • My friend is a bit of a maverick. She has a lot of friends but values her independence. A good mediator, she’d rather “read” people than books. She’s just the opposite of her only sister. • I’m able to get along better with older people than I do with my peers. Some people think I’m self-centered. • 5. I don’t know how my husband does it; his workshop is an absolute mess, but whenever he wants to find something, he knows exactly which pile it’s in.

6. Information on Birth Order • First Borns • Middle Borns • Youngest Children • Only Children

7. Traits of First Borns Perfectionist Reliable Conscientious List maker Well organized Hard driving Natural leader Critical Serious Scholarly Logical Doesn’t like surprises Loves computers

8. Traits of Middle Borns Mediator Compromising Diplomatic Avoids conflict Independent Loyal to peers Many friends A maverick Secretive Unspoiled

9. Traits of Youngest Children Manipulative Charming Blames others Attention seeker Tenacious People person Natural salesperson Precocious Engaging Affectionate Loves surprises

10. Traits of Only Children Little adult by age seven Very thorough Deliberate High achiever Self-motivated Fearful Cautious Voracious reader Black and white thinker Uses “very,” “extremely,” and “exactly” a lot Can’t bear to fail Has very high expectations for self More comfortable with people who are older or younger

11. The Birth Order Exercise During Seminars, Dr. Kevin Leman asks the participants to split into the four birth order groups, and has each group gather in one corner of the room. He tells them to talk to each other but to remain in the circle. While they talk, he walks around to each group and puts a large piece of paper face down in the center of each group. It reads: “Congratulations! You are the leader of this group. Please introduce yourself to the others in your group, and then have each person do the same. As you talk together, make a list of personality characteristics that you all seem to share. Be prepared to report back to the rest of the seminar with your ‘composite picture’ of yourselves. Please start work immediately.” Almost invariably, someone from the first-born and only-child groups will pick up the paper and start working with their group. The people in the middle group will continue to talk for a while, but eventually someone will notice the paper, and the group will start working. The group of last-borns usually continues to talk, never noticing the paper.

12. Quiz on Creators

13. Do you… a. Study a lot and do well in school b. Perform poorly on purpose c. Teach yourself, because you don’t like formal education d. Have difficulty in school, or a learning disability

14. 2. Which category represents your academic strengths? a. Science and Math b. English and Humanities c. Fine Arts d. Well Rounded, Strong in All Subjects

15. 3. In terms of your family, do you feel… a. Close to your immediate family members b. Close to only one parent or member of your family c. Closer to a nurse or governess d. Alienated from all family members

16. 4. Which of the following best describes your parents? a. Successful in their chosen field b. From a prominent family, does “well enough” but not really successful c. Working class, does “well enough” but not really successful d. Modestly talented in an artistic field

17. 5. Are you… a. An oldest child b. A middle child c. A youngest child d. An only child

18. 6. How were you exposed to your area of study? a. Through parents b. Through a family friend c. Through an outside inspiration; someone you didn’t know

19. 7. As a child, were you… a. More of a loner b. Always playing with other children

20. 8. At this point in your life, do you feel most comfortable… a. With a group of close friends b. With one close friend c. With family members

21. Results

22. 1. If you chose __ you are more like… a. Eliot, Graham, Freud b. Einstein c. Gandhi, Stravinsky d. Picasso

23. a. Einstein b. Eliot, Gandhi c. Stravinsky, Picasso d. Freud, Graham

24. 3. a. Freud, Eliot, Gandhi b. Einstein c. Stravinsky, Graham d. Picasso

25. 4. a. Stravinsky, Eliot, Graham b. Gandhi c. Freud, Einstein d. Picasso

26. a. Freud, Einstein, Picasso, Grahamb. Stravinskyc. Eliot, Gandhid. NONE!

27. 6. a. Eliot, Picasso, Stravinsky, Gandhi b. Einstein, Stravinsky c. Graham, Freud

28. 7. a. All Creators b. None!

29. 8. a. Einstein, Freud b. Picasso, Gandhi, Stravinsky c. Eliot, Graham

30. The 7 Creators Support, Competition, Exposure, and Schooling While Growing up

31. Sigmund Freud: •  close to his mother, father, and nurse •  desired companionship and approval • mentors: Chacot- scholarly support; Bruecke – scholarly support and personal loyalty; Martha Bernays, his fiancée – shared feelings; Eduard Siberstein - his confidant, communication; Wilhelm Fliess - nurture and support of Freud’s intimate thoughts and ideas •  unsuccessful relationships with women

32.  Competition - very little - new domain… just doubt, criticism, some acceptance from others • Exposure Was going to be a lawyer Saw Johann Wolfgang van Goethe’s “on nature” Decided to study medical science as a result • Probably the creator with the greatest academic strengths • At the top of his class • Studied a lot and actually cared about his school work • Treated special in school because of his intelligence • Book smart yet well-rounded

33. AlbertEinstein: childlike imagination throughout life pursued answers to difficult questions such as relationships between space and time (theory of relativity) spentmuch of childhood playing alone and “marched to the beat of a different drummer” As he grew up, had a small circle of close friends – later in life, Olympiad internal support from religion (defied his family and classmates) Max Talmey - gave support and exposed Einstein to the field of physics girls showed interest in him

34.  Friends - Michelangelo Besso and wife, Mileva Maric stimulation and critique • Competition - other scientists like Hendrik Lorentz were searching for an explanation to relativity, but Einstein discovered it first (Timing!) • Exposure: always interested in objects Uncle Jakob introduced him to objects Max Talmey, family friend, gave him physics books • Not particularly verbal • Much more science oriented • Disliked school and formal education • Performed poorly and acted defiantly in class • Learned subjects he liked (algebra, geometry) enthusiastically on his own • Would argue when something didn’t make sense to him

35. PabloPicasso: depended on his father throughout adolescence role models - strong willed mother and rich uncle (financial support), four aunts who babied him Although he could barely speak French, still became close to creative artists like Max Jacob, Gertrude Stein, Guillaume Apollinaire, Henri Matisse, and George Braque works of Cézanne and his views into the nature of painting influenced Picasso the most Later in life, Picasso collaborated with Georges Braque to invent cubism - support, cooperation, friendly competition competition from his sister Lola and was jealous of the attention his parents gave her

36.  • Exposure Father was a painter • Prodigy • Great artistic talent shown early in life • Surpassed dad at young age • Hated school and tried not to attend • Performed poorly • Difficulty learning to read and write • Even greater difficulty in mastering numbers • Appears to have had genuine learning problems • To him everything was in terms of art • Barely made it through school

37. Igor Stravinsky: support from his governess, Bertha and his older brother, Gury lonely as a child, but like Einstein, had support from his uncle, a music lover friend Ivan Pokrovsky, who introduced him to French composers important friend and provided technical musical instruction - Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov “Igor Stravinsky may be my pupil but he will never be my or anyone else’s follower, because his gift for music is uniquely great and original (192).” - Rimsky-Korsakov craved for companionship - joined ensemble of musicians competition with Diaghilev over legal rights for their musical pieces

38.  Very egocentric, focused on his own needs  As he got older, he insisted on conducting his own works without the help of others • “As with several of our other creators, a connection to the wider world seems to have been purchased at the cost of smooth and loving family relationships.” (226) • Exposure • Father was an opera singer • Always had music in the house • Was taken to opera house to write often • Not a good student • Performed at or below average level for his class • Uninterested in formal schooling • Preferred to educate himself • Always loved music • Not a prodigy

39. T. S. Eliot: family history of being leaders in religion and education grew up surrounded by women and much support from his Irish nurse, Annie Dunne very sensitive as a child and had a substantial linguistic memory Ezra Pound, close friend, provided literary advice and introduced Eliot to literary individuals and women Pound, Eliot, Wyndham Lewis, promoted new forms of English expression Vivien Elliot provided affective support not comfortable with his sexual identity, didn’t know how to relate to women Eliot was difficult to become close to, comfortable with distance

40.  Like all of the other creators, severely hurt someone he was close to by cutting off all ties • Exposure Mother was a talented poet • Everything revolved around written language • Notable student • Performed very well at Smith Academy • Read extremely widely and remembered a good deal of what he read • Only area of difficulty was physics • Little interest or ability in science • Situated squarely within the humanities

41. Martha Graham: • family - secure and devoted to one another • Ma raised very strictly and religiously • volatile temper • “Maid Lizzie”- nurse, served as a peer and confident • When Martha decided to become a dancer as her • career, her family was not pleased, but they • compromised by sending her to a school where she • could study liberal arts and also dance Lewis Horst - mentor, accompanist, composer, and lover • Exposure Saw Ruth St. Denis at L.A. Opera house

42. Received criticism and support from her performances and different dancing style: She received support from the countless dancers who desired to join her company and the continuing support of her audience. Although some critics said that she was not a true dancer, Graham had enough support from her loyal dancers and lovers to continue on. • Did well in high school • Quick learner • Well read • Active and involved in school • Dancing school was most important

43. Mahatma Gandhi: • Family - prominent in society, very moral, father took • the guilt upon himself • family let him probe family relations and develop his • own responses toward ethical and social problems • Sheikh Mehtab - youthful friendship, they felt much remorse and guilt over their wrong actions • determined and set in his ways • felt unfulfilled in life • friends - Sonya Schleslin and Henry L. S. Polak – • idealistic, helped Gandhi recognize his ideals in living • and sacrificed an independent existence • influential leader, support from his growing group of • followers • competition - individuals who defied him by protesting violently • felt that he had attained support, spiritual purity, and eventually moral • authority by influencing others and leading an exemplary life • •Exposure Father did not use anger or violence to punish him

44.  Competition - individuals who defied him by protesting violently  Felt that he had attained support, spiritual purity, and eventually moral authority by influencing others and leading an exemplary life • Exposure Father did not use anger or violence to punish him • Not a particularly good student • Found school unappealing • Always interested in issues of right and wrong • Gravitated towards role of peacemaker • Displayed these traits at a very young age

45. Additional Notes “In carrying out this study, I have repeatedly been astounded by the speed with which talented young individuals, like members of a rare species, immediately spot those of their peers who are appropriate members of the same cohort (254).” “The most notable creators almost always are perfectionists, who have worked out every detail of their conception painstakingly and are unwilling to make further changes unless they can be convinced that such alterations are justified (211).” “Once again, as we saw with Einstein, Freud, Picasso, and Stravinsky, a creative individual on the threshold of his most dramatic achievement has benefited from close almost parent- or sibling-like ties to respected intimates (244).” All creators were loners as children. As each of the creators grew up, they all benefited from a connection to someone else. Einstein and Freud benefited from a tight-nit group of friends, while Elliot and Graham were very close to their family, and Picasso, Gandhi, and Stravinsky utilized support from one very close friend.