What is creativity? Is it that burning feeling that you have when you must break and bend the known rules and invest your energy in making a mark on the world, be it an art piece or maybe just something a little bit more practical that helps you enjoy your life more? Is it that sudden burst of an original idea in your mental landscape? Is it the capacity to reinvent, reorganize or reinterpret the data in a single field of study or is it linking information between several? It is all that and more, as we will discover when learning about the different levels of creativity distinguished by Irving A. Taylor.
But first, we dedicate the introductory part of this article to following the footsteps of the concept of creativity that were made in the scientific world of psychology by presenting a short history of the distinct points of view on its origin and characteristics.
Creativity is the process of sensing problems or gaps in information, then identifying the difficulties and seeking solutions through trial and error or through forming hypotheses.
Short History of Creativity
The word creativity has its origin in the Latin creare which means to make, to conceive, to develop, to produce. It was introduced in the psychological vocabulary by American psychologist Gordon Allport (1937) (buy his books from Amazon) and it is replacing the old terms of innovative spirit, inventivity, talent.
We owe the first attempt at studying it using scientific grounds to the work of English savant Francis Galton, Hereditary Genius (1869). Researching the genealogical tree of a large number of famous families which gave the world many generations of highly creative personalities, Galton reaches the conclusion that heredity is the determinant factor of the creative force and that genius people are endowed with exceptional intellectual aptitudes.
The year of 1950 is considered to be the beginning of the researched psychological studies on creativity. At the American Psychology Association (APA) Congress, J.P. Guilford (buy his books from Amazon) drew attention to the scarcity of studies related to creativity and proposed several directions of research involving this human personality dimension. Following this impulse, the diverse creativity problematic entered the research programs of the great majority of American and European universities.
In the 1960s and 1970s we witness an outburst of the number of papers reserved to study the problem of creativity. In 1970, the Czech psychologist J. Hlavsa inventoried no less than 2419 titles and the 1999 edition of Creativity Encyclopaedia mentions over 10000 papers written with regard to creativity during the time interval between the years 1960 and 1998.
One must still have chaos in oneself to be able to give birth to a dancing star.
Two Major Opposing Views
The close examination of the definitions given to creativity reveals that novelty, originality, ingeniosity and theoretical or practical values represent essential features of the creative activity. A lack of consensus in the approach of creativity could be caused by the fact that for a long time it was thought to be only a privilege of the genius, of a single minority, and, thus, the research was conducted only towards the lives and activities of the highly creative personalities.
A scientific research lead by British psychologist M. Freya in the 1990s showed that over 70% of the interviewed professors (over 1000 in total) believed creativity to be a gift reserved only for a few.
The American point of view, on the other hand, is in stark contrast: creativity is perceived as an ability that can be developed by the vast majority of individuals. J.P. Guilford believed that the creativity phenomenon represents a general human characteristic and that everyone can be placed on different levels of a continuum scale of creativity.
Since I reached the conclusion that the essence of the creative person is being in love with what one is doing, I have had a growing awareness that this characteristic makes possible all the other personality characteristics of the creative person: independence of thought and judgment, honesty, perseverance, curiosity, willingness to take risks and the like.
Levels of Creativity
Irving .A. Taylor goes even further than Guilford and suggests that we can distinguish between five different levels of creativity:
These are unfettered ideas, generally primitive, that emerge without the benefit of any guidelines, physical laws, or other restrictions. You might think of expressive creativity as a child using a box of multi-colored crayons to draw something.
In this stage, we use rules and physical laws to constrain our thinking, with little expressive spontaneity. Think of this stage as “practicing.” Things that emerge may be new to you, but may already be known to the world.
In this stage, we develop the ability to creatively combine existing technical concepts using prior design solutions to create new designs. Examples might be to use an old item in a new way.
Emergent creativity is the highest creative level. It involves rejecting current physical laws, principals, and constraints, and forming completely new theories about how the world works. This often results in a ground-breaking idea. Few people achieve this level.
The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt.
Conclusion
Creativity seems to be a highly controversial human capacity and its processes are likely connected to cognitive and emotional attributes, be them conscious or unconscious. The value of its results can resonate in the single life of the inventor or it can change the course of action for the entire humanity. Either way, we cannot underestimate its importance in the act of designing the future, so why not learn the psychological mechanisms behind the process and start developing our creative skills right now?
Self-Care Tips and Tricks for Someone Living with Borderline Personality Disorder
Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is a complex mental health condition characterized by pervasive instability in moods, behavior, self-image, and functioning (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). People with BPD often experience intense episodes of anger, depression, and anxiety that can last from a few hours to days. The emotional turbulence and impulsive behaviors associated with BPD can significantly impact daily life. Therefore, effective self-care strategies are crucial for managing symptoms and improving overall well-being. This article explores various self-care tips and tricks for individuals living with BPD, supported by psychological research and expert recommendations.
The Art of Describing in Mindfulness: Cultivating Clarity and Emotional Resilience
Describing in mindfulness refers to the ability to put into words the thoughts, feelings, and sensations that one experiences. This involves accurately labeling internal experiences without adding interpretations or judgments. According to Baer et al. (2006), describing is one of the five facets of mindfulness, alongside observing, acting with awareness, nonjudging of inner experience, and nonreactivity to inner experience.
Descriptive mindfulness allows individuals to articulate their internal states, which aids in gaining a clearer understanding of their mental and emotional processes. This practice promotes cognitive clarity, which can prevent the misinterpretation of experiences and reduce the impact of negative thoughts and emotions.
Wise Mind: The Core of Emotional Balance in DBT
In Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Wise Mind is the inner place where emotion and reason come together. It integrates Emotion Mind (feelings, urges, impulses) and Reasonable Mind (logic, facts, plans) into a deeper knowing about what truly fits you and your life. Wise Mind isn’t loud or dramatic—it often shows up as a quiet sense of “this is the path that feels right,” even when it’s hard.
By practicing mindfulness, pausing before reacting, and listening to both your heart and your logic, you can access Wise Mind more often and make choices that support long-term emotional balance.
Defining Terms in CBT: Clarity amidst Cognitive Chaos
Within the realm of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), clarity is not just a goal but a methodological necessity. One of the foundational techniques employed to dissect and address distorted beliefs is the “Define Terms” method. By encouraging individuals to specify what they mean by certain words or phrases, CBT practitioners aim to remove ambiguity, prevent misunderstandings, and promote clear thinking. At its core, the “Define Terms” technique is a straightforward cognitive tool that involves asking individuals to clarify or define vague or generalized terms they use to describe themselves, others, or situations.
Intimacy Avoidance Personality Trait: Navigating the Complexities of Emotional Connection
Intimacy avoidance, a multifaceted personality trait, profoundly influences how individuals approach and engage in emotional relationships. It encompasses a broad spectrum of behaviors, ranging from reluctance to open up emotionally to maintaining emotional distance from others. In this article, we will delve into the intricate world of intimacy avoidance, defining the trait, examining its subtypes, discussing potential causes, consequences, and strategies for managing and fostering healthy emotional connections while respecting one’s boundaries.
Consumer Psychology 101: The Mental Shortcuts Behind Every Purchase
We like to believe we buy with logic:
“I compared the options, weighed the pros and cons, and chose the best one.”
In reality, most of the time our brain is using fast, automatic shortcuts to decide:
This feels right → click.
Those shortcuts are cognitive biases and heuristics—mental rules of thumb that usually help us make quick decisions, but also make us predictable in ways marketing can leverage (or abuse). Behavioral economists and psychologists have spent decades showing that these shortcuts explain many of our “irrational” choices in money, health, and consumption (Kahneman, 2011; da Silva, 2023).
