Creativity has been studied in psychology. First, it ranges from individuals with little to no original thought to very creative and innovative thinkers. It does not just take the form of art. Consider the industrial titans Edison, Ford, and Harvey Firestone, all of whom were also extremely creative people. They are equally as imaginative as Beethoven, Monet, and Picasso. One can be creative in many different ways or just one. There might be a biological or genetic foundation for creativity. Take a look at the Bach family, Paloma Picasso, Eugen, and Manfred Bleuler for evidence that it may be inherited to some extent (father and son psychiatrists who greatly advanced the study of schizophrenia). After saying that, I have to add that creativity also requires HARD WORK, PRACTICE, etc. The traditional quip that just 10% of creativity comes from heredity or hard effort is actually accurate. I apologize if I misunderstood the humor. Before discovering the right mix of materials, Edison would test 1,000 different combinations. You can find piles of canvasses, shattered pots, and other items that failed to live up to the artist's expectations in their studio. The ability to persist is crucial to creativity. Divergent thought is yet another feature. Most individuals only see one solution when they examine a situation. When someone is creative, they might imagine dozens or even hundreds of solutions to the same issue. People that are creative don't hesitate to attempt and reject ideas. The creative process overvalues intelligence. The link between intellect and creativity disintegrates over a relatively low degree. And there are some fairly unimpressive individuals who are incredibly creative but not particularly gifted at managing their finances or producing academic work. To some extent, creativity may be taught. We must begin early in the learning and growth process in order to be as effective as possible.
Science knows quite a bit about creativity—but there remains much to learn.
- Eddie