Understanding Creativity: Definition, Types, and Process
What is Creativity?
“Dissatisfaction is the source of creativity.”
There are innumerable definitions of creativity. This variety of meanings is because creativity is a very ambiguous and semantically rich concept.
Our creative nature responds to the need that we must create to live. We understand that it is necessary to improve as it allows us to keep moving forward.
Sir Francis Galton and the Theory of the Hereditary Genius
Sir Francis Galton, a forefather in the studies of creativity, elaborated the Theory of the Hereditary Genius.
His definition considers that creativity is linked to the existence of a privileged place, which pre-exists the researcher and the creative product. This place would be enough to obtain a discovery or creative work.
This meaning is associated with connotations of chance or a privileged place, which are only available for certain human beings, the chosen ones.
It considers the term creativity as a synonym of genius. Therefore, it anticipates the existence of a supernatural entity that provides the gift of discovery.
According to this approach, it is impossible to explain the creative process.
Joy Paul Guilford: The Birth of a Movement
In 1950, the psychologist Joy Paul Guilford, considered the father of creativity, rediscovered the term “creativity” by incorporating a psychological meaning. Since then, the term creativity started to be used to designate a series of aspects related to certain capacities of the mind of the human being. Creativity begins to be used as the ability of the subject to produce something new from out of nothing or to behave with originality.
Defining Creativity
Creativity is a set of skills linked to the personality of the human being that allows them (from previous information, and through a series of internal processes in which this information is transformed), to solve problems with originality and efficiency.
3 Key Facts to Understand Creativity
- Do something different, original: Instead of turning this body towards the bar, he turned his back on it.
- Do it better than the rest.
- Create a new way of doing.
Good creativity is doing something original and different, better than what has been done before, and making it into a model followed by everyone: a new way of doing.
Creativity could also be defined as a combination of existing elements that we put together to produce something new. That is why it is so important to always be on the lookout for inspiration. Our brain does not create something out of nothing; it uses what we know and combines it with something else in a whole different way.
Are You Creative?
I consider myself a creative person because I exhibit flexibility by adapting quickly to new situations, challenges, and obstacles, approaching problems from different perspectives to find effective solutions. I demonstrate originality by generating ideas that are unique, relevant, and stand out as innovative. My ability to spontaneously produce a wide range of solutions to a problem shows fluency, while my capacity to offer practical, workable ideas highlights feasibility. I also excel in abstraction, as I can break down complex concepts into simpler parts to better understand their components and relationships. Additionally, I maintain an open mind, which allows me to reflect, learn, and continuously improve. However, I acknowledge that some aspects, such as processing ability, building something from minimal information to a polished result, do not fully define me, as I rely on structured input to refine and develop ideas effectively.
Types of Intelligences: Howard Gardner
Howard Gardner warned that academic intelligence (obtaining qualifications) is not a decisive factor in knowing the intelligence of a person.
1. Logical-Mathematical
It was used as a yardstick to detect how intelligent a person was. It is linked to the ability for logical reasoning and the resolution of mathematical problems. The famous tests of intellectual quotient are based on this type of intelligence. Scientists, economists, academics, engineers, etc.
2. Visual-Spatial
It is the ability that allows us to observe the world and objects from different perspectives. People who excel in this type of intelligence usually have abilities that allow them to devise mental images, draw and detect details, as well as a personal sense for aesthetics. Painters, designers, publicists, etc.
3. Verbal-Linguistic
The ability to master language and to communicate with others. It is transversal to all cultures. Politicians, writers, poets, etc.
4. Intrapersonal
Understand and control the internal environment of oneself in terms of the regulation of emotions and the attentional focus. Both knowing how to distance oneself from the situation to de-dramatize events with a negative emotional impact and knowing how to identify one’s own thinking tendencies.
5. Interpersonal
Interpret the words or gestures, or the objectives and goals of each speech. Interpersonal intelligence assesses the ability to empathize with other people. Teachers, psychologists, therapists, etc.
6. Bodily-Kinesthetic
Bodily and motor skills that are required to handle tools or to express certain emotions or ideas. Dancers, actors, athletes, etc.
7. Musical-Rhythmic
Music is a universal art. All cultures have some type of music. Some areas of the brain perform functions linked to the interpretation and composition of music.
8. Naturalistic
Detect, differentiate, and categorize aspects related to the environment (creating patterns) such as animal and plant species or phenomena related to climate, geography, or nature.
According to Gardner, if intelligence is plural, so is creativity. Just as there is no single type of intelligence, it is assumed that there cannot be a single type of creativity either.
Types of Thinking
If you wish to generate creative thinking, it is necessary to involve different models of thinking. These models are:
- Convergent = Vertical
- Divergent = Lateral
- Creative = Holistic
Convergent Thinking
Focuses on finding a single, specific solution by narrowing down ideas.
Divergent Thinking
Expands possibilities by generating multiple creative and unconventional ideas.
Creative Thinking
Combines analysis and free association to develop and restructure concepts innovatively.
Critical Thinking
Evaluates ideas logically to reach the most justified and reasonable conclusions.
Productive Thinking
Merges creativity and critical evaluation to select and refine the best ideas.
Characteristics of a Creative Product
- It must be original: different, unique. An original design will be one that is rare because it introduces new ideas, materials, or techniques. Remember: creativity is just connecting things.
- It must be effective: a design will be more effective the more problems it solves.
- It must be useful: it is important that the product has real practical applications.
- It must be parsimonious: it is one thing to solve a certain problem successfully (this would be effectiveness) and it is another thing to do it in the simplest way possible. A product will not be parsimonious if, for example, it includes a very complex mechanism to overcome a problem that could be solved in a simpler way.
- It must be well thought out: We try to assess the degree of detail and complexity that a design manifests. A design will be very well thought of if its different parts and materials are specified in detail, as well as the way it works.
The Creative Process
The creative process is the evolution of an idea into its final form, involving critical thinking, problem-solving, and a series of steps from perception to implementation. It begins with perception (observing reality), stores information in memory, and uses cognitive skills to select relevant aspects based on the current situation. The process includes five stages:
- Preparation (gathering information)
- Incubation (exploring and experimenting)
- Illumination (the “Aha!” moment)
- Evaluation (reflecting and critiquing)
- Implementation (working on the solution)
An example is the creation of Post-it notes, where a problem was identified, existing solutions reviewed, new ideas were proposed, tested, and adjusted.
Key Principles for Finding New Ideas
- Principle of distancing: Treat all ideas equally, without clinging to the first solution.
- Principle of deferred evaluation: Avoid evaluating ideas too early, allowing for free exploration.
- Principle of ludic experimentation: Embrace unexpected discoveries through play and chance.
The Creative Person
All people are born creative, but creativity requires development through curiosity, inspiration, discipline, and embracing mistakes. A stimulating environment enhances creativity, while clear evaluation, balanced competition, and fair rewards further encourage it.
Creativity can be blocked by perceptual blocks (narrow viewpoints, inflexibility), emotional blocks (fear of failure, low self-esteem), and cultural blocks (pressure to conform or fear of questioning). The brain’s left hemisphere handles logic and structure, while the right hemisphere specializes in emotions, spatial awareness, and artistic skills. Creativity arises from the interaction of both hemispheres, combining reasoning, intuition, and imagination to generate innovative ideas.
Principles for Finding New Ideas
1. Principle of distancing:
The principle of distancing consists of considering and processing different ideas equally. This implies not clinging to the first solution as if it were the only one, learning to value the ideas proposed by other people to face a problem, or accepting the rejection of our own ideas within a group, as well as being able to get rid of them for share them.
2. Principle of deferred evaluation:
Avoid all interpersonal and intrapersonal evaluation during the stages of the creative process, exercising the ability to take and evaluate as many ideas as possible without discriminating any.
3. Principle of ludic experimentation:
Ability to make happy and unexpected discoveries by chance.