JS016 Creativity Crisis: Decline of Creative Thinking

Creativity is the phenomenon by which something new is created and the newly created creation is somewhat of a value to either the receiver or the creator.

The new creation could be intangible like a song, a theory, an algorithm, or  a software. it can also be tangible like a painting or an invented device.

According to numerous authors, we are currently in a creativity crisis because first of all, creativity decreases with age, and secondly our new generations are turning out to be less creative when compared to their parents at the same age.

We are getting smarter every decade and our IQ levels are rising but creativity is declining.

In 2005 Dr. KH Kim conducted a study where she analysed all the studies published between 1965 and 2005 that presented any relationship between intelligence and creativity. And she concluded that there was a very negligible relationship between creativity and intelligence. Even though you have a high IQ that does not make you a creative person.

To get further clarity and confirmation reagrding her findings of this 2005 study, Dr.Kim gathered a total of 272,599 TTCT scores from Kindergartners to adults.

Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking (TTCT). the most reliable creativity test that has been translated into 40 languages around the world.

She even included scores of participants from Canada.

Dr. Kim’s objective was to analyze each element of creativity. The elements of creativity are:

Fluency score: represents total number of ideas generated

Originality score; explains how unique those idea are

Abstractness of Title score: explain how symbolic and abstract  the ideas are

Resistance to Premature closure score: describes how receptive and open minded the subjects are

After a rigorous peer-review process Dr. Kim’s study results were published in the Creativity Research Journal in November 2011.

And the results are as follows:

Fluency score had declined since 1990. Fluency score is  really important because in order to come up with a unique or good idea you have to be able to generate many ideas first.

Originality score had also declined since 1990 indicating that we are less able to generate unusual ideas. Originality is one of the most critical elements of creative thinking. 

Rationale for this decline is Psychologically, most of us are uncomfortable with the change,                   uncertainty, new ideas, challenges, and risk that accompany creativity and creative behavior.

          In order for thinkers to present original ideas, the climate needs to be receptive, or at least not               hostile to expression and consideration of unusual and wild ideas.

Abstractness of title score also saw a decline since 1998, this is what allows some people to recognize and describe patterns and the essence of problems without distorting the information.

Resistance to Premature Closure scores are on the decline as well since 1998 and it indicates that better solutions require keeping an open mind in order to take the time to understand the problem and to consider all of the potential solutions to the problem.

Keeping an open mind about different people and what they have to offer broadens the scope of potential resources, which also leads to new and better solutions.  Accepting and celebrating diversity is one way to foster creative thinking because considering different points of view or putting seemingly different things together helps us with solving problems or inventing.

This study along with many others provides ample evidence of an era of continued decline in creativity. Acknowledging these declines in areas like creativity, self-awareness and social bonding. This why we decided to start this podcast in order to bring the community of like minded rebels together who want to make an impact on this world.

Now here is the how to:

First, if you are a creative or consider yourself one or even if you are intrigued by this study please send us an email right now at [email protected] with a request for Creativity test and we will forward you the test along with the instructions for free.

Try to create CAT in your daily routine or identify people who can. If you would like to know how to select those individuals in your life please listen to our yesterday’s podcast or blog by clicking this link, for further details mentioned there along with the research.

Now back to Creativity, so creativity requires CAT, not actual cat, I think that wouldn't be bad either but this  CAT is an acronym for : Creative Climate, Creative Attitude, and Creative Thinking.  

Displaying Creative Attitudes requires an encouraging Creative Climate.  As the Climate becomes continually antagonistic to creative expression, Creative Attitudes will diminish, Creative Thinking will diminish, and creative potential will be lost.