8.10 CREATIVITY

8.10.1 Creativity: Meaning

Creativity is the capacity or ability of an individual by his own intelligence and imagination to create, produce or involve a new idea or object including re-arrangement or remodeling of what - is already known to him. It involves a series of related actions and hence it is called creative process. This creative process comprises of creative thinking i.e. divergent thinking which is characterized by flexibility, originality and fluency.

8.10.2 Creativity : -Definitions

According to James Rhodes, “Creativity is an act of two parts. The first part consists of getting an idea and the second part involves articulating, that is putting each idea into form.”

Guilford means that ‘Creativity refers to abilities that are most. characteristic of creative people”. Hence creativity refers to the skills and abilities of individuals to create or’ produce newer results of creative nature.

8.10.3 Creativity: Characteristics! Identification of creative child

According to E. Paul Torrance, the characteristics of creative child are: (a) he/she has a high 1.0. of 120 and above, (b) the achievement of a creative child is high.

According to Getzels and Jackson, the characteristics of a creative child are: (a) Less popularity with teachers, (b) Independence of juggernaut, (c) Unconventional,                       (d) Humorous and playful.

8.10.4 Relationship between Creativity and Intelligence

J.P.Guilford clearly distinguishes between the intellectual operations of ‘divergent thinking’ (creative process) and ‘convergent thinking’ (which represents intelligence). Every intelligent person may not be creative but a very high percentage of the creative people possess intelligence to a high degree.

A large number of correlation studies undertaken indicate that intelligence and creativity go hand in hand up to a certain limit and get separated after that limit.

It is wrong to suppose that intelligence and creativity are two independent variables or that one always develops at the cost of other.

The findings suggest that while intelligence and creativity are positively correlated, the relation between the two is not entirely. linear.

8.10.5  Theories of Creativity

To explain the nature of creativity, a number of theories have been put forward. These theories deal with different tendencies of creativity among different propel and their operation. Let us see and discuss some of the theories of creativity.

1. Divine Inspiration or God-given Gift Theory

Creativity is a gift and boon from God to the human beings and is, not given to everyone but for some special persons, according to this ancient theory. Accordingly, some people get a large share while it is denied to others. An individual can then be creative to the extent to which he is endowed with this divine power. This theory, in these days of. scientific thinking and understanding is quite irrelevant.

2. Theory Describing Creativity Equivalent to Insanity

Some authors and scholars like Cesar Limbos have concluded that creativity and insanity go hand-in-hand based on historical evidences and observations. An insane person lives in his own world. His thinking, feelings and actions are concentrated and centered around his own interests and intentions. The states of mind of highly creative persons are somewhat similar and their behavior may be considered quite abnormal and even insane. However, these findings are not based on objective arid empirical studies. Between insanity and creativity, no definite correlation has so tar been established. The creative individual may seem to be far from normal because. of his constant absorption in his creative

3. Theory Describing Creativity as Native or Inborn

Creativity is regarded as something native, an innate or inborn trait, a special, mental power of unique cognitive ability that cannot be acquired by learning or training according to another viewpoint. Thus, this theory sternly stresses the point that creative are born and not made. One may have a special inborn sensitivity to sound. another may have extremely sensitive vocal cords, senses of touch, sight or smell to enable him to be highly talented. or creative in any of these spheres. One may have been born with extraordinary intuitive power for a sudden or quick grasp of new things or phenomena in any field or a fine imagination and insight for discovering new things like scientists James Watt, Newton, Einstein or Mathematicians Gauss and Ramanujam..

4. Theory of Environmentally Acquired Creativity

Creativity is not only the result of one’s heredity, inborn capacity or Gods gift but is nurtured like other human taints and talents. A positive environment or situation that is open, democratic and free may be said to contribute positively to the release and development of creative potential. A closed society, culture or situation may act as a strong deterrent to the development of initiative and creativity within the individual. Arietta proposed the concept of creative society to emphasize the influence of culture and environment on the development of creativity. According to him, the creative genie society or environment is distinguished by its lack of emphasis on immediate gratification, its tolerance and interest in divergent point of view, and its use of incentives and rewards for creativity. As a result of such favourable environment, creamy may get full nourishment and creative build up. Thus, this viewpoint made it clear that it is the environment which is responsible for making one creative or non-relative according it its favourable or detrimental factors.

5. Taylor’s Level Theory of Creativity

Creativity may be described an existing factor at five levels in an ascending hierarchy according to I. A.Taylor who enunciated the Level Theory of Creativity in 1975. A person is said to be creative to the extent he is able to reach. these levels. The five levels are the following.

1. Expressive creativity: This stands for spontaneous expression without reference to originality and quality of the product.
2. Productive creativity: At this level, a person is able to produce something innovative.
3. Inventive creativity: This level is marked by the presence of ingenuity with a clear emphasis on novel use of old things.
4. Innovative creativity: At this level one is able to develop new ideas or principles with the help of highly developed abstract conceptualizing skills.
5. Emergencies creativity: This fifth and highest level of creativity is rarely achieved. The most abstract ideational principles or assumptions underlying a body of art or science are made use of at this level of creation.

6. Hemisphere Theory of Creativity

As a result of interaction between the two hemispheres of the brain, creative acts are produced according to this Hemisphere Theory of Creativity. It gives quite a predominant biological base to the upsurge and functioning of creativity. The researches into hemispheric functioning of Clark (1983) and Kitano and Kirby (1986) have concluded with point that creative individuals are usually right hemisphere dominant while logical thinkers are left hemisphere - dominant, the rational thinkers.

7. Psychoanalytical Theory of Creativity

Creativity is a means and product of one’s emotional purging, an opportunity for sublimation and catharsis according to the school of psycho analysis. Freud, the father of this school considers the creations of the creators as nothing but attempts for the expression of their repressed desires, mostly sexual in nature. Accordingly, most creative works of art, particularly ones portraying beautiful figures of men and women can be interpreted by Freudians as expressions of repressed. sexual desires. Similarly, the compositions of many writers and poets like Tuls4das, Meerabai, etc., would be viewed by them as attempts at sublimation, i.e., diversion of libidinal energy into a socially desirable and personally gratifying channel. Besides the role of libidinal or sexual energy, the unconscious was also described by the Freudians, to play a significant role in one’s creative expression and. output.

Psychoanalysts like Kris, Kubie and Jung have propounded a somewhat different approach explaining creative expression. They opposed the unconscious-seated and sex-dominated approach of Freud and advocated the use of preconscious rather than unconscious mental mechanisms in the creative act. Going further, Jung through his analytic or depth psychology brought out the concept of the collective unconscious, according to which, animation of the collective unconscious, the archetypes, explains the mechanism of the creative process. The views of these psychoanalysts have been under constant attack chiefly on account of their early conflicts for explaining all types of human behaviour including creative acts, their sole dependence on unconscious motivation and being over generalized.

Arieti’s Theory of Creativity

The nature and meaning of the terms of creativity, creative process and creative output are represented by the contemporary views of the theory of Arieti. The major theoretical notions underlying this theory are as follows:

1. Creativity and mental illness are parallel to one another in that both involve the transformation of reality. The distinction between them is that while creative aim to change reality for broader and more useful social purposes and self-actualization, psychotics want to transform reality within the framework of their private world regardless of serving any useful purpose to their selves or society.
2. To say that a creative person is mentally ill is quite incorrect. He is, in fact, a person who enjoys good mental health which energizes his cognitive abilities to create something unique or novel.
3. The creative process is a ‘magic synthesis’ of the two modalities,, the primary process and the secondary process and may thereby be termed the tertiary process”.

As Freud maintains, the primary process originates in the primitive past of the mind called the ‘id’ and the archaic ego’. The outcome of the developed mind processed the secondary which involves logical and systematic thinking at the conscious level. In the words of Arieti, ‘in the creative process, both these primary and secondary processes work in quite strange and intricate combinations, synthesizing the rational and, thus, instead of rejecting the primitive, the creative mind integrates it with the normal psychological processes. It is from this magic synthe9is that something new, novel, the unexpected and the desirable emerges’.

It is clear from foregoing and scattered theories of creativity that none of them have a detailed and authentic explanation. Each one of them takes its own stand for explaining creativity either, through the process approach or the product approach and hence each perception is, as Clark (1983) observes, only a fragment of the total. A meaningful picture of creativity may emerge only through a holistic view, by the integration of the various divergent views of the different theories.

8.10.6 Creativity: Process

The process of creativity are listed below:

1. Preparation: During the preparatory period, the attention of the creative individual is finding a problem and solving it. At this stage the creative person studies, analyses, learns and tries to relate the findings in many ways. He analyses the problem, incisively collects and matches the data and tries to create novel ideas which are relevant to the problem and solves it.
2. Incubation: At this stage no deliberate activity is done or proposed ‘by the individual. During the period one is taking rest and relaxed and his mind wanders freely. Unconscious activities can also arise during this period, but it canbe altered and reorganized during this time.
3. Illumination: Illumination means giving light. Sudden flash of insight and. judgment occur during this period. Sudden ideas occur at any time in the individual’s mind. Ideas also occur after, having enough experience. Example: Archimedes’ discovery.
4. Verification: At last the creative individual compare tests and evaluates his ideas, products or result submits his critical appraisal. Verification may le further preparation and contemplation and finally to another inspiration to create a better new creation.

The four stages represent a scientific and systematic of analyzing the ideas for a higher creative process.

8.10.7 Creativity Fostering Techniques

The measures to promote creativity in children are:

1. Brain-storming

The creator of this technique is Osborn. In this etcher the individual is free to express. his ideas instantly, spontaneous and uncritically without any inhibition. According to him, there greater chance of delivering original ideas while the brain i under stress in order to develop a solution to a problem one I By this technique, continuous ideas are allowed to flo one’s mind. At the end of every session the ideas are discuss their feasibility Here the fluency of ideas are encouraged  any fear or favor or interventions or ridicule from all corners technique develops the self-confidence of the participants.

2. Synetics

The word ‘Synetics’ denotes joining together of differed deliberate irrelevant elements. A training programme is prop by Gorden. Synetics in Greek means “fitting together diversE irrelevant elements”. Synetics entirely differs from brain in brain storming, critical evaluation and judgments will take later. Where in synetics, the session itself leads to find a solution the problem.

3.Freedom to express

The child should be ‘given freedom to express his own before the’ teacher. Freedom is to be given to investigate, toxin the real facts and formulate his own judgment.  The teacher encourage his/ her students to deliver his/her ideas in a idea in a novel way.

4. Encouraging originality and flexibility

The teacher should also allow flexibility of finding solutions to the problems in their own original way.

5. Curiosity

The curiosity of the student will be satisfied by showing affection, sympathy and tolerance towards them.

6. Absence of ridicule and insult

Any view delivered by the student should not be ridiculed or insulted under any circumstances, but it should be encouraged. The student should be free to ask any question that comes from their inner feeling. He should be appreciated, wherever he deserves. The teacher should be ready to respect the views of the students at any time.

7. Curriculum

The curriculum should have plenty of scope for creative thinking.

8. Examination

Nowadays, examination seems to be an obstruction to the student since it totally controls the field of education. The examination system should provide ample opportunities for creative thinking rather than for writing what they have memorized for examinations.

9. Assignments

The teacher should provide more opportunities for developing creative thinking through assignments to the students. The teacher should ask his students to submit more and more assignments in order to develop creative writing.

10. Creative reading and writing

The creative reading along with creative writing should be given top priority in the curriculum and examination system.

8.10.8 TYPES OF CREATIVITY

8.10.8(1) Convergent and Divergent Thinking

According to Guilford (1959), creative thinking means divergent thinking and uncreative thinking means convergent thinking.. An example will make it clear.

Suppose the teacher is teaching about forests. He may ask the students the various benefits that we derive from forests. Here divergent thinking will be required. The teacher is not asking about any particular advantage but a variety of advantages. The students may think about a number of benefits.

In a lesson prepared for elementary classes, a child may be asked to perform different roles at different times i.e., role of a dwarf, role of a giant, role of a kind, etc. They will give scope to his creativity.

8.1 0.8(2) Lateral Thinking

Instead of thinking about an object which is supposed to be thought over, thinking other related objects is known as lateral thinking. i.e. Thinking not deeply but on the surface level.

There are many steps insisted to find solutions for problems. We can find solutions ourselves using new techniques as per our understanding of the problem and our idea about it. The problems can be changed into different dimensions. The idea of Lateral thinking is first used by the psychologist (Tphoney) According to him lateral thinking is an analyzed thought which cannot be known openly at once. The ideas got through this type of thinking are not on the basis of conventional methods.

8.10.9 TESTS OF CREATIVTY

As we make use of intelligence tests to label a child as intelligent, we have the use of creativity tests for labeling a child as creative. There are so many tests available for this purpose. The mentionable are Minnesota Tests of Creative Thinking, Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking, Remote Associate Test, Wallach and Korgan Creativity Instruments, Baquer Mehdi’s Tests of Creative Thinking.

As we know that creativity is a complex blend of a number of abilities and traits, therefore, in creativity tests attempts are made for the assessment of these abilities and traits. For example in Torrance Test of Creative Thinking, assessment of one’s creativity

is made on the basis of scores obtained in the areas of fluency, flexibility, originality and elaboration with respect of verbal and nonverbal activities performed by the subjects.

The verbal activities to be performed are of the following nature.

1. Ask and Guess Type : The subjects are asked questions to reveal .their ability for developing hypothesis in terms of consequences.
2. Product Improvement Type : The subjects are asked to suggest ways and means to improve a toy, a machine or such other products.
3. Unusual Uses Type : These are meant to test the divergence about the ways of using product. Here the subjects have to tell about as many unseal uses as they can point Out.
4. Unusual Questions Type : Here for a particular object or verbal description, the subjects are required to ask as many unusual questions as they can.
5. Just Suppose Type : The subjects are required to predict out comes for unusual situations. -

The non-verbal activities include activities like Picture construction, picture composition and Repeated Figures.

Whereas in picture construction and completion, the subjects are required to construct or complete a picture, in the Repeated figural activities, they have to make as many objects or pictures as they can from the given figure y using the concept of multiple associations.)

All the above mentioned activities are evaluated in terms of the related creative abilities like fluency, originality, flexibility and elaboration. A high score on this creative test increases the probability of declaring the subject as creative. However, such declaration need further support from the results of the assessment made through the non-testing devices.