Understanding Creativity

Yale SOM, Prof. Richard Foster explains what creativity is—and isn’t—and describes the kinds of traits, knowledge, and ways of thinking that lead to the moment of creative insight

Can Creativity Be Measured?

Of course! Creativity CAN be measured, just as intelligence is measurable. Since the 1950’s, researchers have developed an array of formal methods for measuring creativity.  Much of the research was conducted by Dr. E. Paul Torrance, Helson, Isaksen, Rhodes, etc. In fact, Dr Torrance dedicated his life’s energies toward enhancing the recognition, acceptance, and development of the creative personality in both education and the workplace.

SIMPLE TEST

This test is a simplified version of most creativity tests which is based on the idea of Torrance (Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking)

TORRANCE TEST

Developed by Dr E. Paul Torrance, the TTCT is a highly reliable and one of the most widely used creativity testing of its kind.

How Can We Measure Creativity?

There are a number of methods to measure creativity:

  • Self-Assessment
  • Ratings Scales
  • Interviews
  • Checklists
  • Peer, Parent, Teacher Rating/Nomination
  • Observations
  • Products
  • Personality Tests
  • Biographical Sketches
  • Aptitude and Ability Tests
  • Acceleration, Mentorship, Enrichment Programs
  • Problem Finding/Solving

 

Why Measure?

The following are purposes of creativity evaluation:

  • Screen creative talent
  • Identify Creative and Gifted
  • Evaluate important features
  • Determine potential
  • Support Strengths of Individuals
  • Provides baseline data to diagnose needs
  • Evaluate efforts to enhance creativity
  • Provide a common language and comparison to discuss creativity

 

Concerns with Measuring Creativity

  • Reliability and Validity of Measures
  • Scorer reliability
  • Authentic Assessment
  • Predictive Validity
  • Issue of areas of creativity that is being measured
  • Issue of honesty for Self-Assessment

 

Tips for good creativity assessment:

  • Adopt a specific definition of creativity and be clear about its implications for the characteristics you plan to assess.
  • Examine and review carefully assessment tools, representing several different sources of data, that may be appropriate for the definition and characteristics, for your setting, and for the students/employees, you will be assessing. Use only resources that meet professional standards for practice.
  • Do not rely solely on the scores for labelling as “creative” or “not creative”. The purpose of the assessment is to understand the student’s/employee’s needs for appropriate and challenging educational experience. Ask instead: “What do these data tell us about the individual’s need for coaching?”

Remember that computer generated assessment may not capture the novelty of creative thinking. Creative tests are usually scored manually and results can be subjective. Therefore, look for a reputed and experienced administrator to assess the test.

 

What Can Creativity Measures do? 

  • Identify creative individuals for various purposes
  • Expand view of human ability and achievement beyond the traditional conception of intelligence
  • At workplace, helps employers understand and predict employee’s creative productivity
  • Helps understand various ways in which people exhibit their creative behaviour
  • Develop an understanding of the environmental factors that facilitate or impede the development of creative potential
  • Predictive of creative performance across time
  • Determine the impact of formal instruction in creativity
  • Help individuals and others in better understanding self/other’s creative strengths/weaknesses
  • Enable educators, managers and recruiters to discover hidden creative potential