Creativity theory supports the conclusion that when a person recognizes the isomorphism in an analogic construct, that insight is the essentially creative act. Infraconscious mentation is more likely to produce insightful analogies than is rigorous, willful, consciously rational mentation, because infraconscious mentation, operating in the mode of…

Study evaluates an intensive training program with gifted young adults in inducing creativity. (GB)

Discusses the facotrs involved in recognizing and encouraging creative ability, and summarizes creativity research to date. (SP)

Describes the Creative Studies Project, which proposes to increase the degree to which American education cultivates creative potential in our society. (Author/DR)

RESEARCH WAS CONDUCTED TO FOCUS ON AN EXAMINATION OF SEVERAL ASPECTS OF THE CREATIVE PROCESS AS WELL AS ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF A TEST OF CREATIVE THINKING. THE SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES WERE (1) TO CONSTRUCT A TEST WHICH WILL MEASURE CREATIVITY AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL, (2) TO IDENTIFY THE VARIABLES THAT ARE EFFECTIVE IN INFLUENCING THE CREATIVE PROCESS,…

What are creative people like? There is evidence that four personality traits appear to differentiate more creative from less creative people: devotion to work, independence, drive for originality, and flexibility. Creative people do not have higher intelligence quotients (IQs) or get better school grades than others--in fact, no cognitive…

To determine if use of a creativity training workbook (Stretch) would increase creative performance, 45 fourth grade pupils were studied. The students were divided into control and experimental groups with half high (mean IQ 113) and half normal (mean IQ 101) ability with the controls using a placebo workbook and the experimentals using the…

Reviews the perspective of Donald Campbell on creative thought and argues that the role of blind variation and selective retention in Darwinian evaluation and human invention is different. Proposes that a contrast can be drawn between "smart" and "not so smart" blind variation. (CR)

Argues that while blind variation and selective retention (BVSR) may not be involved in all forms of human behavior and thought, Donald Campbell has made a compelling case that human creativity and invention involve BVSR. The complementary nature of prior and current BVSR in creative human endeavor is discussed. (Author/CR)

Reports the results of a study of active ingredients of creativity techniques, devices that promote idea generation, through an analysis of 172 idea-generation methods which identified three types of idea-generation devices--strategies, tactics, and enablers. These devices were organized into meaningful categories comprising a formulary of active…

The paper identifies some major issues in assessing creative problem solving. Four main problems are discussed: (1) no single widely accepted theory of creativity exists; (2) there is a lack of understanding of the implications of the differences in assessment procedures; (3) researchers, on the one hand, view creativity as entirely a cognitive…

While intelligence plays an important role in understanding human behavior, it is through creativity that we can understand a human's ability to cope with challenging situations in novel and appropriate ways. This fastback explores theories and research on creativity. Its chapters are: (1) "Looking for Creativity," describing six multidisciplinary…