In the complex society in which we live, creativity is a capacity not only useful for innovation, but also necessary for the survival of organizations and social groups. Evolution and change, which especially technology has generated in recent decades, are increasingly rapid and unpredictable. That is why answers to everyday problems are increasingly difficult to find: experience, by itself, does not help to resolve situations as easily as in the past.
Many tend to associate creative thinking with artists, children, and those who “can afford to dream or fantasize.” In the reality of all of us, creative thinking serves to think of possible alternatives, have original ideas to find solutions, get out of difficult situations or behavioral patterns that block us. With this Psychology-Online article, we are going to delve into the characteristics of creative thinking, to understand what it is and how to improve it.
What is creative thinking
creative thinking It is a higher aspect of thought, because it is the power of the mind that can lead us to change it. It is the type of thinking that has gradually evolved the world of men from barbarism and ignorance to the comforts and knowledge we enjoy today.
Without a doubt, JP Guilford was one of the first authors to systematically study . In fact, in 1950-1955 he used, from a psychological point of view, the word “creativity” to focus on the characteristic features of an authentic personality and, in a speech on creativity held in America, he analyzed all aspects related to the problems of creativity. Guilford identifies seven characteristics of creativity:
- Sensitivity: timely awareness of problems.
- Verbal dissolution or fluencyideative, associative: willingness to produce hypotheses that resolve perceived problems, to develop and act, from the same perspective, verbal, written and pictorial expressions.
- Flexibility: adaptation to unusual and unexpected situations.
- Divergent thinking: rejection of deteriorating conformism, of obvious, unproductive thinking, and therefore the ability to develop and propose new, unusual theses.
- Redefinition: ability of original treatment of known things, of use of the vector force that is contained in the definition of knowledge.
- Analysis: ability to identify and capture significant data.
- Summary: investigation and articulation of a meaningful structure between elements of knowledge and experience.
Characteristics of creative thinking
The Torrance Test of Creative Thinking, considered one of the most reliable, measures the ability to offer different, original, precise answers that combine heterogeneous elements. Designed by psychologist Ellis Paul Torrance, it is primarily used to predict the creative development of children starting at 5 years of age. The child who scores well, therefore, is more likely to become a creative adult, such as a businessman, an artist, or a scientist. The TTCT therefore examines and attempts to measure individual ability in what are the four pragmatic dimensions of all creative work well done:
- Fluency. It is the ability to provide many different, acceptable or good solutions in a reasonable but limited time.
- Flexibility. It is the ability to develop solutions from different ingredients with multiple perspectives, and to quickly change the perspective and contexts of reference.
- Originality. It is the ability to develop ideas never thought of before, knowing that being original does not mean producing irritating or extravagant ideas. It means, instead, venturing into creative spaces not yet explored by anyone, looking for new and effective solutions.
- Elaboration. It refers to the attention to detail and respect for the work itself, and to the presentation of a consistent product: that is, finished in all its parts, impeccable in both substance and form. Taking the necessary time for checks and finishing, but respecting delivery times: a job submitted outside of the maximum time, no matter how good it may be, is useless work.
Phases of creative thinking
Although the creative process has been analyzed by many, the sequence that seems most plausible to me and that many have been inspired by is the proposal of Graham Wallas who, in 1926, together with Richard Smith, wrote The Art of Thought. Creative thinking is mobile: it goes back and forth between the right and left hemispheres, and in fact in Wallas’s four phases there is an alternation of convergent thinking and divergent thinking.
- Preparation. In this phase, materials and information are collected, data is organized methodically, and the problem to which a solution must be found is defined. Thoughts move between what we already know: all creative action is based on everything we have experienced and known; nothing is born from nothing, so it goes beyond experience, Experience, knowledge, experience, experience, experience, experience, experience, experience, experience, experience, experience, experience experience, the possible stimuli and the possible routes.
- Incubation. He foresees the elaboration of what we know, we know, we have lived, in search of an order that produces a new meaning. It is a process that develops through trial and error, through flows of thought that can seem disordered and inconstant. In this phase it is essential to have a propensity to get rid of inappropriate or ineffective ideas, an ability to understand what does not work.
- Lightning. It is insight, the rapid and spontaneous intuition that appears without prior warning, bright and incipient, a solution different from all those considered up to that moment: it arrives suddenly and also carries with it a strong emotional reaction of excitement. Those who have this type of intuition think in images and this allows them to visualize complex structures and create metaphors.
- check. Analysis, testing: it is a rigorous moment of the creative process in which the consistency of an intuition is checked, where the idea is tested by comparing it with reality, arranging it so that it works. For scientists, this phase consists of laboratory tests.
Tips and exercises to enhance creative thinking
If until now you have thought that creativity is the prerogative of others, it is time for you to realize that you can train yourself to think more creatively. If you are already confident in your creativity, you can continue developing your skills.
- Be positive. The first important step is to recognize that by nature you are as creative as anyone and to be able to learn techniques and methods to improve this ability: think positively: one of the main obstacles to creativity is the fear of making mistakes
- Welcome the change. A good way to encourage creativity is to stimulate yourself through change, because even in the simplest things change can stimulate thinking. In the office, home or studio, try moving some furniture; If possible, change your morning routine, or change your look or haircut.
- Speaks. Scientists explain that the brain is often more active when working with others. So take advantage of collaborative thinking and talk as much as you can: with others when you’re shopping, with friends or family when you’re having dinner, and also with each other when you’re working.
- Relax and enjoy the fun side. You are more likely to be creative when you are relaxed. Simple breathing and meditation exercises can be good preparations for creativity. Laughter is also good for sparking creative thinking: you make jokes, look for books and movies that make you laugh, and try to spend time with people you consider funny.
- Exercise and solve puzzles. To train creative thinking, a good exercise is the technique of brainstorming, literally “brain storm”, which consists of freely inventing the greatest number of possible solutions to a problem: solutions of all kinds, even implausible and/or buff, without any of them being censored in the initial phase. Another fun game to train to see reality from new perspectives is this: once you are at the table, take any object (for example, a glass) and ask yourself: if you didn’t know what it was, what name would you give it? If you didn’t know what it was for, what would you use it for? If it weren’t what it is, what would it be? For example, if I flipped it over, what would it look like?
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