Two studies were conducted to test the effect of passionate love on creative productions. In both studies, participants were assigned to one of two experimental conditions: in one condition, love was evoked in the beginning of the experiment and in the other condition, love was never evoked during the session. In the first study, participants were free to create stories about any topic they wanted whereas in the second study, they were instructed to only create stories on the topic of love. Creativity was assessed though divergent and convergent thinking tasks that consisted of writing original stories and both experiments ended after the participants answered Positive and Negative affect Scales and the Passionate Love Scale measuring respectively emotional and romantic states. The results of the first study showed that evoking love was detrimental to creativity in both divergent and convergent tasks. Overall, passionate love tended to have a negative effect. Participants in love in the experimental condition were evaluated to be less creative than those not in love in the control condition. In contrast, participants in love the second study for whom the topic of love was evoked showed better performance on the divergent thinking task than controls who were not in love. All participants had similar performances on the convergent thinking task. When comparing the results obtained with the two studies, passionate love showed a greater effect on divergent thinking than convergent thinking. Theoretical implications about the relationship between passionate love and creativity are discussed in this article.
What does it mean to be a solar designer? The article builds upon earlier work encompassing a 4-year study on the role of a solar designer, and offers further artistic and methodological explorations to re-define what it means to be a solar designer today. I autoethnographically explore what it means to be a solar designer through artistic material making at the world’s first Solar Biennale, by performing 10 micro-phenomenological interviews with solar experts from different fields of expertise, as well as by conducting a workshop with 15 high school students as part of an Agenda 2030 exhibition at Norrbottens Museum in Luleå, Sweden. These designerly explorations, synthesised through an overarching framework of Relational Design, offer an updated perspective on what it means to be a solar designer – a necessary endeavour as part of an ongoing and evolving sustainable societal transformation. The updated visual taxonomy is offered as a guide to future solar designers and solar design researchers who are interested in a design-as-relationship-building approach, consisting of three key layers: The Embodied Self, Space & Technology, and Embedded & Ecological Relations. The article culminates in a discussion that expands and challenges these three key layers vis-à-vis discourses on sustainability, ethics, and relationality.
Creative thinking disposition is recognised as a significant educational outcome, yet there is a dearth of empirical studies investigating gender discrepancies among pre-service visual art teachers in African settings. This study is based on the interactionist model of creativity and social role theory, exploring the extent to which pre-service teachers of visual art in Ghana exhibit creative thinking dispositions and examining gender differences. A cross-sectional survey design was used, and data were collected from 258 pre-service visual art teachers with a validated creative thinking disposition scale. Welch’s t-test was used to analyse group differences due to unequal variances. The findings show that the disposition towards creative thinking is moderate to high and that there are statistically significant gender differences. The findings also indicate that the creative thinking disposition is shaped by the interplay between personal cognitive dispositions and socially constructed gender roles in the context of teacher education. By situating creativity research within African teacher education, this study builds on interactionist and sociocultural approaches. It offers an empirically informed understanding of gendered patterns in the development of creative disposition. The results can be extrapolated to the design of teacher education practices that facilitate the formation of an equitable creative disposition.
The creative process can be described through eight phases: 1. Problem discovery, 2. Information search, intake, and valuation, 3. Concept combination, 4. Idea generation, 5. Development of a solution approach, 6. Idea evaluation, 7. Adaptation and realization, and 8. Communication and implementation. The Creative Process Assessment Scale (CPAS; Görlich, 2023) provides a self-report instrument for measuring these phases. The present study extends this instrument by adapting and validating the other-rated version (CPAS-OR). A total of 905 individuals assessed the creative process of a known person; self-assessments were available from 782 rated individuals. Big Five personality traits, need for cognition, life satisfaction, risk-taking, personal initiative, and creative achievement indicators were assessed for validation. Internal consistency was α = 0.95 and test-retest reliability rtt = 0.85 for the total score. Confirmatory factor analysis showed acceptable fit for bifactor and hierarchical models when combining Phases 4 and 5 into Core Creativity. Correlation analyses confirmed theoretically predicted relationships: openness correlated most strongly with Phase 4 (Idea generation), conscientiousness with Phase 7 (Adaptation and realization), extraversion with Phase 8 (Communication and implementation). Need for cognition correlated particularly with the first three phases, while personal initiative correlated substantially with all phases. Self-other agreement was moderate (r = 0.43). Criterion validity was supported by positive associations with creative achievement indicators. The CPAS-OR is a reliable and valid instrument for measuring the creative process from an other-rating perspective, suitable for organizational, educational, clinical, or counseling contexts to complement self-assessments and enable multi-source evaluation.
This article examines whether generative artificial intelligence (Gen-AI) can be considered creative when evaluated through a dynamic cross-cultural framework of creativity. Integrating the dynamic model of creativity (Corazza et al., 2022) with the four-criterion construct of creativity (Kharkhurin, 2014), the analysis evaluates Gen-AI across four dimensions: originality, effectiveness, aesthetics, and authenticity. The article advances the thesis that human and artificial creative potentials unfold through different architectures. Human creativity develops through integrative processes grounded in autobiographical experience, embodied perception, and evolving identity. Gen-AI systems expand creative search spaces through statistical learning and large-scale computational exploration. The analysis shows substantial convergence between human and artificial creativity in potential originality and effectiveness, and partial convergence in aesthetics. The principal divergence appears in authenticity. Authentic creative expression requires autobiographical grounding, reflective self-integration, and value-oriented interpretation of experience, capacities that current AI systems do not possess. Emerging technologies such as persistent memory architectures, agent-based systems, multimodal models, and quantum computing may expand the originality, effectiveness, and aesthetic range of AI-generated outputs, while only approximating surface-level features of authenticity. These findings suggest that Gen-AI can participate meaningfully in creative processes as a human-made, non-living tool, while lacking the experiential grounding that characterizes authentic human creativity. The article therefore positions Gen-AI as a collaborator and enhancer within cyber-creative processes whose value depends on human purposes, ethical responsibility, and cultural interpretation.
This study examines how Icelandic women artists use dress as a medium to construct, negotiate and communicate their creative identities within social and cultural contexts. Drawing on semi-structured interviews with 17 women artists in Iceland, aged 27–69, we explored dress as both artistic expression and social performance. The theoretical framework builds on Butler’s concept of gender performativity, complemented by insights from interactionist and psychological theories of self-presentation and enclothed cognition. This approach situates dress as an embodied form of meaning making through which gender and creative identity are simultaneously reproduced and resisted. Using thematic analysis, three main themes were identified; dress as identity and agency, using multiple identities as a method for creativity, and negotiating power through dress. The findings show that dress operates as a site of both empowerment and vulnerability, allowing artists to challenge gendered and cultural expectations while expressing self-confidence, creativity and artistic innovation. Moreover, generational differences were apparent revealing shifting strategies of self-presentation. Whereas older artists downplayed femininity to gain legitimacy, younger artists employed it more deliberately as a creative resource. We conclude that dress functions as a sociocultural mechanism through which artistic identity, resistance and recognition are negotiated. In this way the study contributes to a broader understanding of how performative embodiment and creative practises can advance gender equality and cultural innovation.
Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is a complex issue affecting individuals across diverse contexts, involving a range of abusive behaviours. A particularly intriguing facet is ''dark creativity,'' referring to the manipulative and coercive strategies perpetrators use to dominate or harm partners. Despite extensive research on IPV, nuanced patterns and strategies—especially gendered differences—remain underexplored. This study aimed to address this gap by examining IPV through a qualitative analysis. This study uses ideal type analysis to examine over 40 case files, categorising victims and perpetrators (both men and women) while focusing on distinct abuse forms and the role of dark creativity. Findings reveal significant gendered differences in abuse experiences and perpetrator strategies, categorising the context through the lens of dark creative strategies. These insights call for improved support systems and advancements in legal and therapeutic frameworks to address the multifaceted dynamics of IPV effectively.
In recent years, there has been extensive research on children's creativity in China. This study primarily utilizes the CNKI.net database to analyze papers on children's creativity published in China over the past decade. It focuses on Chinese scholars' perspectives regarding the trajectory of creative development, emphasizing key phases and effective teaching strategies. From an initial pool of 242 publications, 58 studies were selected for detailed examination. The findings indicate that early childhood education, particularly in kindergarten and preschool settings, is critical for nurturing creativity. Besides language instruction, other significant factors include contextualized learning, crafts, physical education, and emotional support, with arts education identified as a vital strategy for fostering creative skills. The study also notes shortcomings within the educational system, where academic achievement and administrative considerations often overshadow artistic expression. Moreover, it suggests that Chinese scholarship requires a greater emphasis on innovation compared to research conducted in other regions. The results provide guidance for future research and educational policy modifications, advocating for an interest-based curriculum and supportive family environments to enhance creativity.
This paper explores philosophical dimensions of creativity by examining how even particularly empirical frameworks—specifically, the associative theory of creativity and its related metrics—raise fundamental questions about knowledge, meaning, and agency. According to the associative theory, creativity arises from the ability to form new connections between concepts or ideas from unrelated contexts. I discuss this ability in terms of philosophical anthropologist Arnold Gehlen’s notion of Entlastung (relief or liberation): the capability to lift concepts or ideas out of their immediate contexts through sensorimotor exploration, language, and communication. I also bring Gehlen’s account into dialogue with Aristotle’s epistemology and anthropology, particularly his notion of intellectual knowledge of forms and his study of techne (artistry or craftsmanship) and spontaneity. These philosophical perspectives allow us to make a useful distinction between material creativity—the ability to produce creative results—and formal creativity—the ability to at least potentially achieve the same results through purposeful manipulation of ideas. I suggest that formal creativity is a key to creativity’s developmental benefits and contribution to meaningful work.
The capacity to imagine creative solutions and new, non-carceral worlds and social systems is key to contemporary prison and police abolitionist movements. These movements often encounter challenges when encouraging people to consider alternatives to existing carceral systems (i.e., prisons and policing), as people feel threatened by the unknown. In the current studies, we consider whether creativity – and the generation of creative alternatives – could be key to increasing support for abolition. In Study 1 (N = 261), we examine associations between varying facets of creativity and endorsement of abolition in a nationally representative U.S. sample, finding that creative self-concept, but not convergent thinking, was positively associated with participants’ capacity to generate non-carceral responses to harms, more accessible cognitive alternatives to carceral systems, and abolitionist identity. In preregistered Study 2 (N = 381), we examined the effect of creativity primes on abolitionist outcomes. Creativity primes, relative to control primes, did not increase abolitionist ideology, accessibility of abolitionist cognitive alternatives, generation of non-carceral responses to harm, or abolitionist imagination. Study 2 replicated Study 1 associations between creative self-concept and abolitionist outcomes. We discuss findings in light of long-theorized links between creativity and abolitionist movements.
This brief article examines an argument presented by Brandt (2024) that Beethoven used divergent thinking when composing. The earlier analysis was compelling, in part because it quantified one aspect of classical composition (e.g., harmonic progression). The current article raises the possibility that Beethoven may have relied more on deviation amplification than divergent thinking. It presents lyrical examples from another musical genre (i.e., Rock ‘n Roll) and quotes (e.g., Bob Dylan, Jimmy Buffet, Rolling Stones) in order illustrate the wide use of deviation amplification and divergent thinking. These two processes differ in part in their intentionality and perhaps in the cognitive pathways. Divergent thinking may be characterized as a kind of spreading activation and exploration across varied directions while deviation amplification may instead find one variation and then explore that direction via amplification. Brandt is certainly correct that his case study (and perhaps the cases quoted herein) offer intriguing illustrations of externalized cognition. Future research to clarify how deviation amplification fits with divergent thinking is recommended.
Over 280 million people worldwide suffer from depression, with approximately 21 million individuals affected in the U.S. working-age population. In creative fields like fashion design, the ability to innovate is essential, and designers are expected to solve design problems effectively. Given the significant relationship between depression, life satisfaction, and work performance, this study aimed to explore how factors such as effort, challenges, personal expressiveness, harmonious passion, and the state of flow influence the creative processes of fashion designers. An online survey of 180 U.S. fashion designers evaluated their design processes, personal expressiveness, life satisfaction, depression, passion, and flow using validated scales. Participants rated their efforts and challenges in design, with all variables demonstrating strong reliability (Cronbach's alpha ≥ .80). The study revealed that higher life satisfaction enhances designers' engagement in iterative processes, flow, and personal expressiveness, while lower levels of depression improve overall design effectiveness. This research highlighted the crucial role that psychological factors, such as life satisfaction and depression, played in the creative design process. It emphasized the positive relationship between well-being and design engagement, thereby extending the existing literature on the benefits of artistic activities for mental health. The study also suggested some practical implications for educators and the fashion industry.
This article examines how feminist thought and cultural space intersect in the creative practices of contemporary female artists from Thailand and India. Rooted in Buddhist and Brahmanical Hindu traditions, both countries’ sociopolitical and gender structures influence these artists. The study focuses on 20 female artists, aged 30 and above, with over ten years of exhibition experience from 1960 to 2020. Using biographical methodology and in-depth interviews, supplemented by exhibition analysis and media sources, it explores their lived experiences and socio religion and cultural contexts shaping their art. Findings show feminist perspectives, adapted regionally and culturally, are central to their work. Their art transforms contemporary practice into personal and political spaces, expressing female identities and critiquing gendered power. By foregrounding these practices, this study makes a substantive contribution to the field of creativity research, elucidating how cultural and gendered contexts shape creative expression and providing critical insights into Eastern paradigms of artistic innovation. Moreover, the research underscores the dual role of these artists’ work as both a reflection of and a challenge to complex cultural landscapes.
Is human creativity distinct from the artificial variety exhibited by Large Language Models (LLMs)? I examine this question in the context of a case study (N = 1 poet and 1 poem) in which the writing of an original poem by a human is compared to the generation of a poem by an LLM given the same prompt that inspired the human poet. The writing process was extended over months for the human poet, drawing upon broad motivations and background knowledge coupled with emotional reactions to seemingly unrelated experiences and memories. In a few seconds, the LLM generated a reasonably coherent, thematically appropriate poem in systematic meter and rhyme. Two expert poets compared and contrasted the two versions (without being informed as to which was LLM-generated). Each expert reported that the human-authored poem uses formal complexity to convey a nuanced perspective on its theme, whereas the LLM-generated poem uses a simple conventional structure to express bland platitudes. Human creativity can be distinguished from the artificial variety by the nature of the underlying creative processes.
Creativity is increasingly recognized as a critical capability that enables individuals and organizations to adapt and innovate in dynamic environments. Recent studies highlight that creativity does not emerge solely from cognitive abilities but is also shaped by affective states such as happiness and contextual factors like role conflict. Happiness, as a positive psychological state, broadens thinking and strengthens intrinsic motivation, thereby fostering innovative behavior. At the same time, role conflict traditionally seen as a stressor can, under certain conditions, stimulate reflection and drive unconventional solutions, serving as a potential source of creative insight. This research adopts a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) approach, following a structured process of identification, screening, eligibility, and inclusion to synthesize findings from selected journal articles. The analysis integrates descriptive and thematic methods to explore how happiness and role conflict jointly influence sources of creativity. The results provide a clearer understanding of these interrelated factors and offer practical implications for organizations seeking to cultivate environments that support emotional well-being while leveraging role dynamics to stimulate creativity.
The study explored the effect of mind wandering on the creative capacities of Generation Z, particularly within the context of social media usage. As digital natives, associates of Generation Z are frequently visible to vast and often overwhelming digital content, which can induce cognitive overload and impair their creative output. The research examined how mind wandering frequently spurred by excessive social media engagement affects self-reported creativity. Further, it explored the moderating role of the cognitive closure between mind wandering and self-reported creativity. Focusing on the Indian Generation Z population, this study intended to bridge the gap in existing literature, which was largely based in the Western contexts. Results highlight that mind wandering has a notable effect on creativity, and this relationship is further shaped by an individual’s level of need for cognitive closure.
This study aimed to develop a version of the Creativity Style Inventory (CSI) that is suitable for contexts where participants have limited time. Specifically, it sought to validate an adapted CSI for Indonesia and classify the difficulty levels of its items. The research involved assessing the creativity of 507 secondary school students from Lampung province, Indonesia, comprising 53.3% female and 46.7% male participants, with an average age of 13.72 ± 0.74 years. The Rasch measurement model was utilised and analysed using Winsteps software to evaluate responses from a CSI and personality inventory. The results indicated that the CSI met the content and construct validity, and reliability standards according to Rasch parameters, highlighting its significance in educational settings. A Differential Item Functioning (DIF) analysis revealed that only one item fell into the moderate to large DIF category. Additionally, the findings demonstrated notable demographic trends, with female, suburban, and public school students exhibiting higher levels of creativity style. This study emphasizes the need for culturally relevant assessment tools like the CSI to inform educational strategies and policies designed to enhance creativity. Ultimately, the adapted CSI has been validated as a reliable instrument for assessing creativity among Indonesian students, reaffirming its importance in educational contexts.
Creative insight is critical to adaptive leadership and innovation in increasingly complex environments. This article introduces Inspirational Intuition as a conceptual framework that integrates intuitive perception and knowledge imagination. Drawing on creativity theory, unconscious cognition, and leadership research, the article outlines four foundational dimensions: Self-Confident Acting, Creative Silence, Emotional Awareness, and Visionary Openness. These form the basis of the IKII-10, a reflective inventory designed for conceptual engagement with intuitive Human Resource Development (HRD) competencies. Rather than an empirical tool, the IKII-10 serves as a scaffold for further theory building, supporting a more holistic understanding of learning, leadership, and organisational development in the face of uncertainty.
The current study aimed to establish the psychometric properties of a newly developed instrument, the Support for Creativity in a Learning Environment (SCALE). The SCALE has not yet been widely used internationally, particularly in Pakistan. This instrument is designed to assist educators in identifying strategies that promote student creativity. Data were collected electronically via Google Forms using a convenience sample of teachers (N = 336) from educational institutions across Pakistan. The sample demographics included 192 males and 144 females with an average age of 37.08 years. Statistical analyses were conducted using SPSS and AMOS software. Convergent and divergent validity established using smart PLS. The SCALE exhibited good internal consistency reliability (α = 0.86), acceptable model fit criteria and supported Construct validity based on established criteria. Exploratory Factor Analysis revealed a three-factor structure with subscales representing physical environment (PE), learning climate (LC), and learner engagement (LE). Configural and metric invariance were also established for multigroup analysis using AMOS. Additionally, t-tests indicated that creativity was perceived to be higher in private/semi-private institutions compared to public institutions in Pakistan. Furthermore, creativity was perceived to be more effectively fostered in urban areas compared to rural areas. However, no significant differences were found across Pakistani provinces. Based on these findings, the study recommends the implementation of the SCALE within Pakistani educational settings to assess and promote student creativity.
Numerous studies reported that large language models (LLMs) can match or even surpass human performance in creative tasks. However, it remains unclear if LLMs have become more creative over time and how consistent their creative output is. In this study, we evaluated 14 widely used LLMs—including GPT-4, Claude, Llama, Grok, Mistral, and DeepSeek—across two validated creativity assessments: the Divergent Association Task (DAT) and the Alternative Uses Task (AUT). We found no evidence of increased creative performance over the past 18–24 months, with GPT-4 performing worse than in previous studies. For the more widely used AUT, all models performed on average better than the average human, with GPT-4o and o3-mini performing best. However, only 0.28 % of LLM-generated responses reached the top 10 % of human creativity benchmarks. Beyond inter-model differences, we document substantial intra-model variability: the same LLM, given the same prompt, can produce outputs ranging from below-average to original. This variability has important implications for both creativity research and practical applications. Ignoring such variability risks misjudging the creative potential of LLMs, either inflating or underestimating their capabilities. The choice of prompts affected LLMs differently. Our findings underscore the need for more nuanced evaluation frameworks and highlight the importance of model selection, prompt design, and repeated assessment when using Generative AI (GenAI) tools in creative contexts.
