Creativity

 Creativity

In the creative state a man is taken out of himself. He lets down
as it were a bucket into his subconscious and draws up something
which is normally beyond his reach. He mixes this thing with
his normal experiences and out of the mixture he makes a work
of art.
E.M. Forster
The term ‘creativity’ refers to mental processes that lead to solutions,
ideas, concepts, artistic forms, theories or products that are unique or
novel. It has sometimes been referred to as ‘the eighth intelligence’.
In this chapter there will be an opportunity not only to explore your
creative talents and potential in general, but also the specific creative
thought processes of imagination, lateral thinking and problem solving.
As a result of work carried out in the 1960s by the American
neurologist Roger Wolcott Sperry (1913^1994), it became apparent
that the creative functions of human beings are controlled by the righthand
hemisphere of the human brain. This is the side of the brain which
is under-used by the majority of people, as opposed to the thought
processes of the left-hand hemisphere, which is characterised by order,
sequence and logic; and is responsible for such functions as numerical
and verbal skills.
Sperry shared the 1981 Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine
for his split-brain research, which serves as the basis for our current
understanding of cerebral specialisation in the human brain. From the
1960s his work with human patients proved to be of major significance
in the development of neurobiology and psychobiology. He published
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his ground-breaking discovery of two separately functioning hemispheres
of the brain in 1968.
Thanks to people such as Sperry, in the second half of the twentieth
century we have become much more aware of the importance of the
human brain, its functioning and its relationship to our body; in fact
we have learned more about the brain in the past decade or so than in
all of the previous centuries, and one area in which we have obtained a
much greater understanding concerns the specialisation of the cerebral
hemispheres.
Throughout history it has been accepted that human beings are
all different in their own way; in other words, each one of us is an
individual with his=her own physical make-up, fingerprints, DNA,
facial features, character and personality. These characteristics have
always been analysed and categorised, but it was not until the midtwentieth
century that it was realised that each one of us has two
sides to his=her brain, each of which have quite different functions and
characteristics.
In the 1960s, Roger Sperry, Michael Gazzanniga and Joseph
Bogan began a series of ground-breaking experiments that seemed to
indicate certain types of thinking were related to certain parts of the
brain.
Research, begun in the 1950s, had found that the cerebral cortex
has two halves, called hemispheres, which are almost identical. These
two brain hemispheres are connected by a bridge, or interface, of
millions of nerve fibres called the corpus callosum, which allows them
to communicate with each other. The left side of the brain connects to
the right side of the body, while the right side of the brain connects
to the left side.
In order to work to its full potential, each of these hemispheres
must be capable of analysing its own input first, only exchanging
information with the other half, by means of the interface, when a
considerable amount of processing has taken place.
Because both hemispheres are capable of working independently,
human beings are able to process two streams of information at once.
The brain then compares and integrates the information to obtain
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a broader and more in-depth understanding of the concept under
examination.
In the early 1960s, Sperry and his team showed by a series of
experiments, first using animals whose corpus callosum had been
severed, and then on human patients whose corpus callosum had
been severed in an attempt to cure epilepsy, that each of the two
hemispheres has developed specialised functions and has its own
private sensations, perceptions, ideas and thoughts, all separate from
the opposite hemisphere.
As their experiments continued, Sperry and his team were able to
reveal much more about how the two hemispheres were specialised
to perform different tasks. The left side of the brain is analytical and
functions in a sequential and logical fashion and is the side which
controls language, academic studies and rationality. The right side is
creative and intuitive and leads, for example, to the birth of ideas for
works of art and music.
The contrasting right- and left-hemisphere functions, sometimes
referred to as ‘laterality’, can be summarised as follows:
Left hemisphere Right hemisphere
Parsing Holistic
Logic Intuition
Conscious thought Subconscious thought
Outer awareness Inner awareness
Methods, rules Creativity
Written language Insight
Number skills Three-dimensional forms
Reasoning Imagination
Scientific skills Music, art
Aggression Passive
Sequential Simultaneous
Verbal intelligence Practical intelligence
Intellectual Sensuous
Analytical Synthetic
The meaning of the word ‘lateral’ is of or relating to the side, away
from the median axis. The term ‘laterality’ ^ or ‘sidedness’ ^ is used to
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refer to any one of a number of preferences for one side of the body
to another. Probably the most common example of this, and one to
which we can all relate, is whether a person is left- or right-handed. In
recent years the term ‘laterality’ has come to be used very much to
characterise the asymmetry of the hemispheres of the brain with regard
to specific cognitive functions, as demonstrated by the list above.
While some individuals may be heavily weighted towards a
particular hemisphere, this does not mean they are predominant in
every one of that particular hemisphere’s skills, since no-one is entirely
left- or right-brained, e.g. while some individuals may have a strong
overall bias towards left-side brain dominance, it may be that they still
under-perform on, for instance numerical tests, and therefore need to
work at that particular skill.
There is also always going to be an overlap between certain brain
functions of opposing hemispheres, e.g. functions using logical processes
and lateral thinking processes, where one is a predominantly right-brain
function and the other is a predominantly left-brain function. However,
when logical processes are being used, the right brain does not switch off
and vice versa. On the contrary, both of these brain processes workmuch
more effectively when both sides of the brain are working together.
The importance to each of us of accessing both hemispheres of the
brain is considerable. In order to support the whole brain function,
logic and intuition, to give just two examples, are equally important.
Before the subconscious of the right-hand hemisphere can function, it
needs the fuel, or data, that has been fed into, collated and processed by
the left-hand hemisphere. One danger is the overburdening of the lefthand
hemisphere with too much data, and too quickly, to the extent that
the creative side of the brain is unable to function to its full potential.
On the other hand, lack of data fed into the left-hand hemisphere
could result in the creative side, or right hemisphere, ‘drying up’. It is
therefore desirable to strike the right balance between right and left
hemispheres in order for the brain to work to its full potential.
Because it is under-used, much creative talent in many people remains
untapped throughout life. Until we try, most of us never know what
we can actually achieve. We all have a creative side to our brain,
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therefore we should all have the potential to be creative. However,
because of the pressures of modern living and the need for specialisation
in order to develop a successful career, many of us never have the
time or opportunity, or indeed are never given the encouragement, to
explore our latent talents, even though most of us have sufficient
ammunition to realise this potential in the form of data which has been
fed into, collated and processed by the brain during our lifetime.
Like many other tasks, or pleasures, we never know what we
can achieve until we try. Having then tried, we instinctively know
whether we find it enjoyable or whether we have a talent or flair for it.
Then, if these signs are positive, we must persevere. By cultivating
new leisure activities and pursuing new pastimes, it is possible for each
of us to explore the potential and often vastly under-used parts of the
human brain.
Test 4.0 Creativity personality test
In each of the following, choose from a scale of 1^5 which of these
statements you most agree with or is most applicable to yourself.
Choose just one of the numbers 1^5 in each of the 25 statements.
Choose 5 for most agree=most applicable option, down to 1 for least
agree=least applicable:
1 I find it very difficult to concentrate on just one subject or project
for a long period without breaking off to do other things.
5 4 3 2 1
2 I am more of a visionary, rather than someone who is down to
earth and businesslike.
5 4 3 2 1
3 I often have the urge to try out a new hobby, such as painting or
playing a musical instrument.
5 4 3 2 1
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4 I am not afraid to voice unpopular opinions.
5 4 3 2 1
5 I like to retire into my own thoughts uninterrupted for a thinking
session.
5 4 3 2 1
6 I would describe myself as more disordered than methodical.
5 4 3 2 1
7 The greatest teacher of all is experience.
5 4 3 2 1
8 I am more sensitive than the average person when it comes to
environmental issues.
5 4 3 2 1
9 I have more of an interest and=or curiosity in modern art than a
‘dismissing it as rubbish’ attitude.
5 4 3 2 1
10 I often have the urge to take things apart to see how they work.
5 4 3 2 1
11 I have a very overactive mind, to the extent that I sometimes find
it difficult to get to sleep at night.
5 4 3 2 1
12 I enjoy being unconventional.
5 4 3 2 1
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13 I am more of an intuitive person than an intellectual.
5 4 3 2 1
14 When attending a talk or lecture, I often find myself drifting off
and thinking of other things.
5 4 3 2 1
15 I sometimes get very frustrated with myself if I cannot do
something as well as I would like to.
5 4 3 2 1
16 I prefer solitude and scenery to lively social gatherings.
5 4 3 2 1
17 I often find myself irritated by petty rules and regulations.
5 4 3 2 1
18 I have a very lively imagination.
5 4 3 2 1
19 I am often very impatient to learn new things.
5 4 3 2 1
20 I more than occasionally have dreams that I am unable to
explain.
5 4 3 2 1
21 I am very independent minded.
5 4 3 2 1
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22 Anytime I get a flash of inspiration or a new idea, my mind
cannot rest until I have tried to put it into practice.
5 4 3 2 1
23 I enjoy spending time on my own.
5 4 3 2 1
24 I revel in being different to others.
5 4 3 2 1
25 When hanging onto the phone, with a pencil in my hand and a
piece of paper in front of me, the probability is that I will start to
doodle.
5 4 3 2 1
Section I ^ Imagination
Imagination is more important than knowledge. For while
knowledge defines all we currently know and understand,
imagination points to all we might discover and create.
Albert Einstein
Imagination is the process of recombining memories of past
experiences and images into novel constructions. Thus, imagination is
both creative and constructive, it can be either wishful or realistic,
involve future plans, or be merely a mental review of the past.
Imagination, perception and memory are essentially similar mental
processes and can each be defined as follows:
Imagination ^ the conscious mental process of invoking ideas or
images of objects and events.
Perception ^ the conscious integration of sensory impressions of
external objects and events, including how we perceive others and
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how others perceive us. It also envelopes how we perceive the
world as a whole ^ the big picture ^ and how we perceive different
scenarios and situations that appear within the big picture.
Memory (the ‘ninth intelligence’) ^ the mental evocation of past
experiences.
One important aspect of perception is the ability to see more than
one point of view. If, for example, you look at the two drawings
below, at first glance what you see appears to be quite unambiguous:
However, if you continue to stare at each figure in turn, and keep
your attention on it focused, then the orientation suddenly shifts and
you find yourself looking at a quite different figure from what you
first imagined.
These two figures, therefore, illustrate the importance of perception.
Two different viewpoints appear ^ yet they are both correct. If anything,
this teaches us that we should endeavour to see both viewpoints, and
both sides of an argument.
Now look at the figure below.What do you see?
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Most people will say that the figure is the letter E. If, however, they
look closely they will see that there is no letter E, just three sets of
lines. It is because our mind is conditioned to what it believes it wants
to see, i.e. the image of the most common letter of the alphabet, which
it has seen many thousands of times, that it completes the object for
you and makes you come to the conclusion that you perceive
something that in reality does not exist.
Now read the following paragraph:
I cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was
rdgnieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid Aoccdrnig
to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn’t mttaer in
waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, The olny iprmoatnt tihng is
taht the frist and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be
a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is
bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but
the wrod as a wlohe.
Again, our mind has taken over. It knows from past experience what
it wants to see, and as a result the task of reading what, at first, appears
be a load of mumbo-jumbo is surprisingly easy.
The following tests are all designed to test your powers of
imagination and creativity.
Test 4.1 Imaginative shapes
In each of the following, use your imagination to create an original
sketch or drawing of something recognisable incorporating the lines
already provided:
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You have 30 minutes in which to complete the nine drawings.
Test 4.2 Wild imagination
The object of this test is to interpret each of the 20 drawings in the
wildest and most imaginative way you can. You may also try playing
the game with other people. The wilder someone’s suggestion is, the
better it is and the more creative they are. Let your imagination run
riot and see what you can come up with.
This test is not timed or marked as it is simply an exercise in
creative thinking.
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Test 4.3 Creative logic
These questions require some logic, together with a high degree of
spatial awareness and creative thinking, and flexibility of mind in
adapting to different types of questions.
You have 30 minutes in which to complete the 10 questions.
1 Which is the odd one out?
A
B
C
D
E
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2
To which hexagon below can a dot be added so that it then meets
the same conditions as in the hexagon above?
A B
D E
C
3
?
Which is missing?
A B C D E
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4
?
What comes next?
A B C D E
5
Which is the missing tile?
A B C
D E F
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6
?
Which circle should replace the question mark?
A B C
D E
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7 Which is the odd one out?
A
D
E
G
F
B
C
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8 Which is the odd one out?
A
B
C D
E
9
?
Which square should replace the question mark?
A B C D E
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10 Which is the odd one out?
A
B
D
C
E
Test 4.4 The bucket test
The following test is based on Gestalt and Jackson’s test of divergent
ability, which requires the subject to name as many new uses as possible
for an object such as a comb or a paper clip.
In this test you are required to name as many uses as possible for a
bucket.
Allow yourself 6 minutes to write up to 10 suggestions.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
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__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
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__________________________________________________________________________________________
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Section II ^ Lateral thinking
The term ‘lateral thinking’ was originated by its creator and pioneer,
Dr Edward de Bono, and is a systematic way of approaching creative
thinking.
The word ‘lateral’ means of or relating to either side, away from
the median axis. Lateral thinking is a method of seeking to solve
problems by unique and different ways, by attempting to look at that
problem from many angles rather than searching for a direct head-on
solution.
It therefore involves the need to think outside the box and develop
a degree of creative, innovative thinking, which seeks to change our
natural and traditional perceptions, concepts and ideas. By developing
this type of thinking, we greatly increase our ability to solve problems
facing us that we could not otherwise solve.
To solve all the questions that appear in this section, it is necessary
to think laterally and creatively and to look for solutions that may not
seem apparent on first inspection.
Test 4.5 Lateral thinking test
This test consists of 10 puzzles, all designed to exercise powers of
lateral thinking and encourage creative thought in seeking out
sometimes unexpected solutions.
For those readers wishing to assess their performance against the
clock, there is a time limit of 90 minutes allowed for completing all 10
questions.
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If, however, you prefer simply to dip into these questions at
random and attempt which ever one takes your fancy at the time, it
is suggested that, if you do not find a solution immediately, you do
not rush to look up the answer but instead return to the question
sometime later, as a puzzle that may baffle you at first may become
soluble when you take a fresh look. It is possible that your mind has
been subconsciously working on the problem and that the answer
which previously eluded you may suddenly become apparent.
1 R N Y D E P N D ?
A E R E V O A I ?
C P T R E L C D ?
What letters should replace the question marks?
2 onerously, honeymoon, pioneered, wagonette
What word below continues the above sequence?
prisoners, aborigine, cautioned, erroneous, astronomy
(Hint: page 205)
3 1
2
3
5
?
0
3
4
7
?
7
6
3
9
?
What numbers should replace the question marks?
4 N
P
T
R
G
K
I
M
F
?
H
L
What letter should replace the question mark?
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5
?
5
3
2
3
2
2
1
1
2
1
1
1
1
1
What number should replace the question mark?
6
How many circles appear above?
7 B P L
A G E
C W E R
S R D Y R R ?
What letter should replace the question mark?
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8 27
82
?
73
29
48
What number should replace the question mark?
9
?
I
T L
A
N
E
R
What letter should replace the question mark?
10 WAVE = 13
TAXI = 8
HALT = 10
FAIL = ?
LINK = 9
What value is FAIL?
Test 4.6 Lateral thinking exercises
The puzzles in this test are not timed and an assessment is not provided.
They are included purely and simply in order to exercise powers of
lateral thinking and encourage creative thought.
It is suggested that should you not find a solution immediately,
you do not rush to look up the answer but instead return to the
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question some time later. It may be that your mind has been
subconsciously working on the problem and that an answer which
previously may have eluded you may suddenly become apparent.
1
Join all nine dots with four straight lines without taking your
pencil off the paper.
2 ENEI = 78
URON = 41
NESE = 97
???? = 86
(Hint: page 205)
3
Which windows in the third figure should be blacked out?
(Hint: page 205)
4 What is it that when you remove the whole you still have some
left?
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5
1 2 3
4 5 6
Which is the odd one out?
(Hint: page 205)
6
Reposition two only (no more, no less) of the sticks, so that you
end up with four squares of equal size and no sticks left over.
7
Add three sticks to form three squares without disturbing any of
the other sticks.
(Hint: page 205)
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8 A man is working on the edge of the roof perimeter at the very
top of the Empire State Building in New York. He slips and falls
off the ledge he is working on and falls onto the concrete below.
He only suffers very mild concussion and a sprained wrist.Why?
9
What comes next?
10 sunflower, among, statuette, Sweden, enthusiasm, befriend, ?
What completes the above list?
abbreviated, Denmark, hopelessness, insatiable, criminal
(Hint: page 205)
Section III ^ Problem solving
In psychology, a ‘problem’ is defined as a situation in which some of
the components are already known and additional components must
then be ascertained or determined, and ‘problem solving’ is broadly all
the processes involved in the solution of that problem.
There are several problem-solving techniques which have been put
into practice over the years, such as brainstorming, critical path analysis
and SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats), which in
their own way have often proved successful.
In brainstorming techniques, for example, the object is for groups or
individuals to break away from conventional and habitual ways of
thinking and to generate fresh ideas, which can then be evaluated and
the most effective ways selected. Brainstorming is therefore a method
of searching for, and developing, creative solutions to a problem by
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focusing on the problem and deliberately encouraging the participants
to come up with as many unusual and creative solutions as possible.
The French mathematicians Poincare¤ and Hadamard defined the
following four stages of creativity:
1. Preparation: The attempt to solve a problem by normal means.
2. Incubation: When you feel frustrated that the above methods have
not worked and as a result you move away to other things.
3. Illumination: Eureka!! The answer suddenly comes to you in a
flash via your subconscious.
4. Verification: Your reasoning powers take over as you analyse the
answer which has come to you and assess its feasibility.
Of course, there are other problems which can be solved by using
what is often referred to as ‘common sense’. Common sense is the
almost forgotten tenth type of intelligence, and can hold the key to
solving many real-life problems. Take, for instance, the following
scenario:
A motorist encounters a shepherd and his dog with a flock of
sheep travelling in the same direction on a narrow lane, and finds
there is no room to drive through. The shepherd regards the
motorist as a nuisance and wants rid of him, as the dog is
barking and the sheep are disturbed, and the motorist regards
the sheep as a nuisance because he cannot continue his journey.
How is the situation resolved amicably to the satisfaction of both
the motorist and the shepherd?
You may be forgiven for thinking there appears to be no easy way
of solving this problem. However, this need not be the case with
the application of a degree of common sense. Consider, therefore, the
following solution which was reached to the entire satisfaction of both
parties and with the very minimum of inconvenience:
The car stops and the shepherd and his dog drive the sheep
back along the lane for a few yards past the car. When all the
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sheep and the dog are to the rear of the car, the way is then clear
for the motorist to continue his journey, and the shepherd is also
free to continue his journey unhindered.
Test 4.7 Problem-solving exercises
The puzzles in this section are not timed and an assessment is not
provided. They are included purely as problem-solving exercises in
finding creative solutions.
As in the case of similar tests in this book, it is suggested that,
should you not find a solution immediately, you do not rush to look
up the answer but instead return to the question some time later;
perhaps even on several occasions.
1
How do you accurately weigh a small puppy with just a standard
household step-on weigh scale if the puppy is extremely lively and
will not keep still?
2 Many hundreds of years ago a thief was charged with treason
against a Roman emperor and sentenced to death. The emperor,
feeling slightly merciful, asked the man how he would like to die.
Which way would you choose to die if you found yourself in the
same situation?
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3
Move the position of four sticks only to produce three equilateral
triangles.
4 Today Amy celebrates her birthday. Two days later her twin
brotherMatthew celebrates his birthday. How can this be so?
5
How many triangles appear above?What is the best strategy to
adopt when tackling this and similar, but more complicated,
triangle-counting puzzles?
6
The sticks produce an equation that is obviously incorrect.
Remove three sticks without disturbing the sticks already placed
in order to make the equation correct.
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7
Add the largest possible equilateral triangle so that it does not
touch any of the other triangles and does not overlap the side of
the rectangle.
(Hint: page 205)
8
Find a way to add 16 sticks, without disturbing any of the 18
already in place, in order to make the equation read correctly.
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9 Before crowds of people at the arena, the emperor offers the
gladiator one last chance to escape death by drawing one of two
slips of paper from a bag. The emperor announces that on one
piece of paper is written the word ‘death’ and on the other is
written the word ‘freedom’. The gladiator’s lover, who is the
emperor’s wife, manages to whisper that both pieces of paper say
‘death’. Despite this, the gladiator still wins his freedom. How?
10
Divide the rectangle into the smallest possible number of
segments of equal size and area, so that each segment contains the
same number of triangles, bells and circles.