What makes individuals creative

And this from the Centre of Excellence in teaching in Learning at Iowa University expands on some of these ideas when they suggest the following characteristics that researchers look at when measuring creative aptitude:.

One of my favourite concepts in the study of creativity and the creative process is that of Flow by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. In Creativity — Flow and the Psychology of Discovery and Invention he suggests the following characteristics of the creative personality:. Take your pick from all of those. One thing that you quickly realise is that even defining characteristic of creative people becomes divergent. However simply beginning conversations around the common themes or elements would be a great discussion with your colleagues or class.

Creative people like to daydream and imagine the possibilities and wonders of the world. They can immerse themselves in imagination and fantasy, yet remain grounded enough to turn their daydreams into reality. Creative types, ranging from scientists to artists and musicians, can come up with imaginative solutions to real-world issues.

While others may view their ideas as mere fantasies or as irrelevant, those with creative minds find practical ways to turn their notions into reality. While we often fall into the trap of categorizing people as solely extroverted or introverted , Csikszentmihalyi suggests that creativity requires combining both of these personality types.

Creative people, he believes, are both extroverted and introverted. Research has shown that people do tend to be either more extroverted or introverted and that these traits are remarkably stable.

Creative people tend to exhibit characteristics of both introversion and extraversion at the same time. They can be both gregarious and reticent, sociable and quiet. Interacting with others can generate ideas and inspiration, and retreating to a quiet place allows creative individuals to fully explore these sources of creativity. Highly creative people tend to be proud of their achievements and accomplishments, yet they are also aware of their place.

They may have tremendous respect for others who work in their field and the influence that those previous innovations have had on their work. They can see that their work is often remarkable in comparison to that of others, but it is not something they focus on.

Csikszentmihalyi observes that creative people are often so focused on their next idea or project that they don't fixate on their past achievements. Csikszentmihalyi believes that creative individuals resist, to at least some degree, the rigid gender stereotypes and roles that society often tries to enforce. Creative girls and women tend to be more dominant than other girls and women, he suggests, while creative boys and men tend to be less aggressive and more sensitive than other males.

Creative people tend to be able to embrace both their masculine and feminine sides. This means they can simultaneously be sensitive and nurturing often labeled as feminine , as well as assertive and dominant often labeled as masculine.

Creative people are "out-of-the-box" thinkers by definition, and we often think of them as non-conformist and even a little bit rebellious. Csikszentmihalyi believes that it is impossible to be truly creative without having first internalized cultural norms and traditions. Creativity, he suggests, requires being both traditional and iconoclastic. This means being able to appreciate and even embrace the past as a source of knowledge, while still seeking improved ways of creating new solutions.

Creative people can be conservative in many ways, yet they know that innovation sometimes means taking risks. Creative people don't just enjoy their work—they passionately love what they do.

But, just being passionate about something does not necessarily lead to great work. Those who are good at divergent thinking are more comfortable and more used to living with uncertainty and a wide range of possible solutions.

What do these two groups of people share in common that may engender creativity? It is obvious that most immigrants and gay persons have had painful challenges in their life experiences. But it is an interesting twist that as a prep school for creative brilliance, these experiences give them a distinct advantage. Another interesting twist is that research has verified that while adults who are not clearly outsiders, and were brought up in affluent and stable families, may become highly successful, they are rarely professionally creative.

There are other kinds of childhood circumstances that tend to engender creativity. Early childhood loss, such as the death of a parent or being a member of a religious or ethnic minority, may also demand novel ways of adapting. This research reveals that it is often those who have endured the experience of being outsiders who demonstrate a resilience of the human spirit by coping in ways that then enable them to make brilliant contributions to the quality of life of us all.

Victor Garlock holds a Ph. He currently is offering individual hypnosis sessions as well as personal counseling at The Center, a holistic health center and spa located in Auburn.

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