This article reports on studies that have indicated that creativity and inventiveness may not be mere products of need, but more often derive from the privilege of opportunity.
The article describes how an adage persists that creativity and inventiveness, distinctions of "intelligent" primates, are born of necessity: an individual, family, or tribe suffers environmental hardship or scarcity, and they solve the problem creatively. It seems logical that an animal or person has to undergo challenges to be innovative, or that survival depends on thinking "outside of the box." However, according to the article, recent studies suggest the opposite is true: times of hardship actually prevent innovation, and spans of leisure, comfort, and even captivity spur creativity. For example, in a 2015 study published in the American Journal of Primatology, primatologist Carel van Schack compared wild and captive orangutans' responses to a new object, a small platform in the shape of an orangutan nest. Researchers found that the captive orangutans were curious about the object and approached it, but the wild ones were scared of it. This is tied to innovation because animals need to be willing to explore strange objects or situation in order for change to happen.
The article goes on to explain how encouraging innovation in children relies on cultural and environmental factors. For example, in a 2011, researchers gave a group of British five-year olds straight but flexible pipe cleaners and asked them to retrieve buckets that were out of reach. The task proved to be really hard for the children. However, in a later study, the experiment was put under different conditions. The study was done at the Children's Museum of Pittsburgh, where the children were being encouraged to play and explore. This time, the children did significantly better. This study shows how an environment-based approach to invention and the exchange of knowledge stimulates more creativity.
The research in this article is important to society because it suggests we need to change the way we encourage problem-solving and creativity. It reminds me to seek out peace amidst a busy life of work and education, to slow down a little more often and let my brain explore new realms of creativity. I think we could all be more motivated to improve our lives if we just allowed ourselves a little more wiggle room and encouragement to explore our great capacity for creativity.
-Porter
So do you think if we used this as an argument to keep the arts in schools, we would win?
ReplyDelete-C. T.
I believe so because in order to think critically you must be creative to find a solution. In order to be creative you must be able to think critically and see problems from every different angle. J. RYAN
DeleteIs there a correlation between creativity and the ability to think critically? Can we improve our ability to critically think by improving creativity?
ReplyDelete-Ashley B.
Ashley, I definitely think there is a correlation between creativity and the ability to think critically. I honestly think they go hand in hand. There is a great paper by Richard Paul, called 'The Logic of Creative and Critical Thinking' that goes more into this topic. In this paper, Paul explains why he believes that the two thought processes are related. If you would like to learn more about it, I recommend you take a look at his paper. It is definitely a very interesting view on the topic. This paper can be found through the following link: http://bit.ly/2fYIJIl
Delete-Mindy C.
This is a great article is. I love the idea of how creativity is achieve. I do believe that there is a correlation between creativity and critical thinking. I know that the article said that the when put in a "stressful" situation that it becomes harder to "think outside the box", which is true. I was in the military and they do training in which we had a giving time frame to and a limited supply of items and solve a giving situation. And yes some of those problems were very difficult. But having a creativity mind allows people to think different in those difficult situations. So I believe that improving creativity in some fashion will help with critically thinking. -D.D.
ReplyDeleteI love this post! When I think back at some of the worlds greatest inventors, I mean, you can't help but think that they had to not only be critical thinkers and problem solvers, but also very creative. They had to try something that had never been done by anyone. I liked the part about the 5 year olds in the museum, being able to come up with much brighter ideas, than in a lab. I think that creativity and critical thinking go hand in hand in problem solving. Great job with the article! C.W.
ReplyDeleteI like this article because I do think we need to change the way we problem solve. I liked the example of the pipe cleaners and feel we need to treat more situations by looking at another persons perspective because the kids were willing to "play" rather then retrieve buckets which could be seen as "work". Problem solving and creativity are directly relaxing and this article really emphasized that. A.M
ReplyDeleteI think this is a really interesting subject. However, I don't know if I agree with what is being said in the article. I think creativity thrives somewhere in the middle of these two arguments. I do agree that creativity is probably best witnessed in privileged environments. These kinds of environments allow for more resources and opportunities to be creative. However, there is a reason it is called problem solving. The reason we need to be creative in critical thinkers in the first place is because we are presented with some sort of problem or challenge. If we weren't in a situation where struggle and even failure is a major possibility, there would be no drive to improve on that situation. I think creativity and problem solving are born of necessity, but are improved and amplified in environments with more comfort and resources.
ReplyDeleteI found this really interesting. The idea that under presser the animals wouldn't expand but with a life that is calm and safe would expand creativity. I found this article very interesting.
ReplyDelete-H.S.
This article really got the grinds turning in my brain. I can't tell if I believe a very relaxed situation to be where you come up with your most creative ideas, or if they come when you are in a situation in which it is necessary to be creative. I want to start paying more attention to myself and see how I react to differently to different situations.
ReplyDeleteKP
This article argues that the poor and any folk in hardship cannot be creative due to their environment and social status. If that is true then explain Eminem. One of the best rappers in the world, a lyrical genius, grew up in the poorest part of Detroit. He overcame poverty without a father and his mother who was never around. Another example would be Maya Angelou. She was a black women who was born in 1928 so I shouldn't even have to explain the hardship she had to go through all throughout her life. Besides her social and economic status she is one of the best known poets and the first nonfiction best seller by an African American women. It seems that creativity thrives in bad environments which contradicts the studies shown above.
ReplyDeleteJH
I used to study engineering but i switched because the thought of a life where one continually has to invent and be the best was very daunting. It is good to know that there really are ways to stimulate creation. i think some people are just better in touch with themselves and can activate that special part of the brain. KH
ReplyDelete