Experimental Studies of Creativity

Abstract

Creativity is among the most complex of human behaviors. It seems to be influenced by a wide array of developmental, social, and educational experiences, and it manifests itself in different ways in a variety of domains. The highest achievements in the arts are characterized by their creativity, as are those in the sciences. Creativity is also quite common in a wide range of everyday activities (Runco, 1996; Runco & Richards, 1998). Theories of creativity have attempted to recognize the inherent complexity by defining creativity as a syndrome (MacKinnon, 1983; Mumford & Gustafson, 1988) or even a complex (Albert & Runco, 1986). The complex nature of creativity suggests that meaningful research must take multiple influences and diverse forms of expression into account. Experimental research on creativity is useful precisely for this reason. Experimental methods utilize various controls to reduce complexity to a manageable level. They deal with complexity by manipulating one or a set of independent variables, controlling (and thereby minimizing the effects of) confounding or nuisance variables and measuring changes in the dependent variables. These dependent variables are the components, traits, or indicators of creativity. The independent variables are the developmental, social, educational, cognitive, and emotional influences.

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