Chapter 8: Creativity I

1. Chapter 8: Creativity I The Creative Person, Creative Process, and Creative Dramatics Artwork by Rene Schute (1969)

2. 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

3. 5 Levels of Creativity • Intuitive expressive level • Academic and technical level • Inventive level • Innovative level • Genius level • “little c”  “middle c”  “big C

4. 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)

5. 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.

6. 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

7. Wallas Model (1926) w/Cropley’s Extension (1997) • Preparation • Information– Learning or remembering special knowledge • Incubation • Illumination • Verification • Communication – Achieving closure, gaining feedback, sharing with other audiences • 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.

8. 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.

9. The Creative Problem Solving Model Osborn (1963), Parnes (1981), Treffinger & Isaksen (2005), Treffinger, Isaksen, & Dorval (1994) • Fact Finding - Who What, When, Where, Why and How questions * • Problem Finding – Definition of a problem determines the nature of the solutions • Idea Finding – Brainstorming stage* • Solution Finding – Listing of criteria for evaluation of ideas (ex. evaluation matrix)* • Acceptance Finding – Idea Implementation, assisters vs. resisters * Included in Alex Osborn’s Original Creative Problem Solving Model (1963)

10. 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.

11. Piirto’s Creative Process (2003) • Inspiration • Imagery • Imagination • Intuition • Insight • Incubation • Improvisation (no emphasis on implementation or closure, however)

12. 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