Even today, the beginning of research and studies on the field of knowledge of creativity can be considered as very recent.

The first contributions by authors such as De Bono , Osborn or Torrance date from the 1960s onwards, so that the practical application of everything found on a theoretical level in educational centres is still scarce and insufficient.

What is creativity?

From the field of psychology , the experts who have tackled this subject define creativity as a process of making original products through unorthodox means, starting from the information available and with the aim of solving problems or the self-realisation of the individual himself (insofar as it allows for the development of personal intellectual capacities).

Thus, Guiford highlighted the characteristic skills of creative individuals: fluidity, flexibility, originality and divergent thinking (on the other hand, he highlighted the differences between creativity and intelligence). In the 1990s, Csickszentmihalyi defined creativity as a state of consciousness for solving problems, in which three elements operate: field (place or discipline where it occurs), person (who performs the creative act) and domain (social group of experts). Finally, the most recent contribution by Mayers affirms the existence of five components of creativity: competence, imaginative thinking, audacity, intrinsic motivation and a creative environment.

On the other hand, the subjective nature associated with creative capacity should be highlighted. This fact may have facilitated the generation of some erroneous beliefs regarding the concept of creativity, giving it a connotation of gift, of cognitive disorganization or of being something necessarily related to a high cultural level as a prerequisite. Thus, there seems to be a consensus today to consider creativity as a human potential, to which all individuals can have access indistinctly. In line with this last point, the set of social, cultural and historical influences become the main factors associated with the development of creativity .

How to develop creativity?

In order to define the concept of creativity and the methodology that can be implemented for its development and empowerment in school children, De Bono has proposed as essential elements of creative thinking the freedom of expression, the absence of inhibitions, the avoidance of critical judgments and the stimulation of new ideas during the creative process.

Among the techniques to use this author highlights the following, which favor the capacity of analysis, synthesis, the application of logical reasoning and decision making:

  • Consider All Factors (CTF).
  • Employ Positive, Negative and Interesting Reasoning (PNI).
  • Consider other Points of View (OPV).
  • Assessing Consequences and Sequelae (CS).
  • Take into account Possibilities and Opportunities (PO).
  • Don’t forget the Basic Priorities (PB).
  • Clearly define the Purposes, Goals and Objectives (PMO).
  • Search the Alternatives, Possibilities and Options (APO).

Other techniques researched correspond to the findings on methodologies such as the morphological analysis of Zwicky , the list of attributes of Crawford, the brainstorming of Osborn, the divergent thinking of De Bono, the synectic or psychodrama, among others.

Related article: “The 14 Keys to Enhancing Creativity”

Convergent and divergent thinking

According to scientific research, two different ways of cognitive reaction can be distinguished in the human response to the environment: convergent thinking and divergent thinking . The latter is also called primary, lateral, autistic or multiple thinking and is characterised by not being subject to consciousness or following logical or simpler paths, presenting a highly symbolic character and being associated with fantastic or creative thinking.

On the contrary, convergent thinking, also known as secondary , vertical , realistic or sequential operates in the opposite way to the previous one: works consciously and following the connections between the elements in a logical way and more oriented to the external reality .

Cognitive, affective and environmental factors in the creative act

There are three main areas of influence that affect the nature of the creative process: cognitive, affective and environmental .

Cognitive factors

Cognitive factors refer to the set of procedures that intervene both in the reception and in the processing of the information presented to the subject.

The following cognitive processes have been found in the development of creative capacity:

Perception

Refers to the capture of the information presented . In order to promote creativity, a complete opening of the senses is required that allows an optimal reception of external stimuli that facilitate the possibility of creation of the subject. It is important to dissociate oneself from prejudices and not very flexible evaluations, as well as a clear capacity in the definition of the problems and tasks to be solved.

The production process

It is linked to the conceptualization and delimitation of the relationship established between the different data. Its main characteristic is the multi-associative capacity to deal flexibly and simultaneously with different types of information.

Different perspectives can be taken to assess the elaboration processes, such as: thinking styles (divergent or creative and convergent), thinking skills (fluidity, flexibility and originality to offer original or new answers) and thinking strategies (unconscious ways to organize information according to the usefulness observed in its implementation in past situations).

Affective factors

With regard to affective factors, we distinguish some elements that appear as central

for mobilizing creative potential:

  • Openness to experience : the degree of curiosity or interest in the context surrounding the individual, who maintains an open and positive attitude to external experiences and experiences them in a particular and alternative way.
  • Tolerance to ambiguity : the ability to remain calm in confusing or unresolved situations by avoiding falling into the precipitation of an impulsive response.
  • Positive self-esteem: acceptance of oneself and one’s particularities (both strengths and weaknesses)
  • Willingness to work : possessing a high degree of motivation for the completion of tasks or purposes undertaken.
  • Motivation to create : to have a strong impulse and interest to create one’s own creations or to participate in others.

Environmental factors

Finally, the environmental factors refer to the conditions of the physical and social context that facilitate the development and updating of the creative potential . The environmental characteristics that favour creative expression are mainly self-confidence, security in relation to others and an appreciation of individual adaptive differences.

Furthermore, it has been proven that socially empathetic, authentic, congruent and accepting environments allow the individual to undertake new projects by minimizing fears of potential or unknown risks.

The stages of the creative process

The contributions that Wallas made in the middle of the last century from his works that sought to sequence the process that occurs in all creative reasoning differentiated four main phases, which are flexible and open: preparation, incubation, lighting and verification.

  • The preparation : the exhaustive formulation (and reformulation) of the problem is carried out taking all possible directions for its resolution.
  • Incubation : in order to be able to assimilate new approaches that do not disturb the clarity of reasoning, there is a moment of pause and distance in the attempts to resolve the task.
  • The lighting : phase in which suddenly or by alternative associations between the available elements the creative product is reached.
  • The verification : at this stage the solution found is put into operation, and then an evaluation and verification of the process applied is carried out in order to find strengths and weaknesses.

The dimensions of creativity

With the aim of achieving satisfactory individual development in the educational area , a series of dimensions of creativity have been established as components of a maturing process, whose linkage between them must have an interactive, dynamic and integrative character.

These dimensions are as follows:

  • Axiological : need to know the reasons that motivated the human being to create certain values.
  • Affective : refers to the identification of cognitive products and to value them as such.
  • Cognitive : relating to functionality and thinking ability.
  • Laboral : defined by the elaboration and transformation of cognitive products
  • Ludic : creativity has a fun component.
  • Participatory : it is linked to the collective application of creativity, making it possible for different students to work together.
  • Communicative : the processes of creative reasoning facilitate dialogue, the capacity for argumentation and understanding of the ideas generated.
  • Urban : due to the spatial proximity between individuals, creative and dynamic tensions are produced that feed back into them.

Obstacles to the development of creativity

It is evident that not all students are capable of developing creative responses to a task with the same intensity. Thus, there seems to be a consensus among experts in the field that there is a set of factors that act as drawbacks or obstacles that limit students’ internalization of this creative ability.

These include: a coercive environment that does not allow spontaneous expression of ideas, a tendency to judge and criticize different points of view, focusing exclusively on pointing out mistakes made, relying on inflexible and stereotyped methodologies, maintaining a distant attitude towards others, preventing respect for the uniqueness of individuals by undermining their self-confidence and encouraging fear of ridicule, etc.

It seems that, although at birth all human beings possess the same capacity to develop creativity considerably, the existence of post-natal environmental factors play a discouraging role for this creative capacity , applying the practices described in the previous paragraph. Therefore, one should be aware of how much these practices are harming the students as a whole, since they are limiting the expression of an alternative, original and novel type of thinking.

By way of conclusion

Creativity becomes a capacity that derives from the confluence of rather environmental, external and acquired factors. Therefore, its maximum development must be promoted from the family and educational sphere simultaneously.

This requires overcoming various barriers related to prejudices, criticism and negative assessments applied to alternative and/or unusual ways of solving a given task, of exposing a reasoning, etc., which seem to be traditionally socially rooted.

Bibliographic references

  • Csíkszentmihályi, M. (1998).Creativity, an Approach. Mexico.
  • De Bono, E. (1986): Lateral thinking. Spain: Ediciones Paidós.
  • Guilford, J.P., Strom, R.D. (1978). Creativity and Education. Buenos Aires: Ediciones Paidós.