Scientific creativity: A short overview
Abstract
This article gives a condensed overview of important findings, methods,
and theories related to scientific creativity. The topics discussed are
grouped into the fourfold classification of the creative product, the creative
person, the creative process, and the creative situation. Methods for
evaluating the impact and creativeness of the creative product are citation
analysis and rating inventories. The section in the creative person presents
findings on the presonality of creative scientists and research productivity
across the life span. The section on the creative process revies a stage
theory of the creative act. Remarks on the creative situation include of
summary of factors conducive to creative achievement and a discussion of
the problem of multiple discoveries. In one of two additional sections, a
comprehensive theory of scientific creativity-simonton's chance
configuration theory—is reviewd. The second additional section presents
recommendations for further research on scientific creativity.
References
Abra, J. (1988).Assaulting Parnasus. Theoretical Views of
Creativity. University Press of America, Lanham, MD
Google Scholar
Albert, R. S. (ed.) (1992).Genius and Eminence. The Social
Psychology of Creativity and Exceptional Achievement, Pergamon
Press, London, England.
Google Scholar
Bailin, S. (1990). Societal creativity: Problems with
[Link] Research J. 3: 100–103.
Google Scholar
Bentler, P. M. (1992). On the fit of models to covraiances and
methodology in the [Link]. Bull. 112: 400–404.
PubMed Google Scholar
Besemer, S., and O'Quinn, K. (1986). Analyzing creative products:
Refinement and test of a judging instrument.J. creat. Behav. 20: 115–
126.
Google Scholar
Besemer, S., and Treffinger, D. J. (1981). Analysis of creative
products: Review and synthesis.J. Creat. Behav. 15: 158–178.
Google Scholar
Birren, J. E. (1990). Creativity, productivity, and potentials of the
snior scholar. Special issue: Exploring the feasibility of an Institute of
Senior [Link]. Geriat. 11: 27–44.
Google Scholar
Busse, T. V., and Mansfield, R. S. (1980). Theories of the creative
process: A review and perspective.J. Creat. Behav. 14: 91–103, 132.
Google Scholar
Busse, T. V., and Mansfield, R. S. (1984). Selected personality traits
and achievement in male scientists.J. Psychol. 116: 117–131.
Google Scholar
Callahan, C. M. (1991). The assessment of creativity. In Colangelo, N.,
and Davis, G. A. (eds.),Handbook of Gifted Education, Ally and
Bacon, Boston, MA, pp. 219–235.
Google Scholar
Cattell, J. M. (1903). A statistical study of the eminent [Link].
Sci. Month. 6: 359–377.
Google Scholar
Cattell, R. B., and Drevdahl, J. E. (1955). A comparison of the
personality profile (16 P. F.) of eminent researchers with that of
eminent teachers and administrators, and of the general
[Link]. J. Psychol. 44: 248–261.
Google Scholar
Cole, J. R. (1981). Women in [Link]. Sci. 69: 385–391.
Google Scholar
Dennis, W. (1955). Variations in productivity among creative
[Link]. Month. 80: 277–278.
Google Scholar
Eichenberger, R. J. (1972). The Development and Validation of a
Judging Instrument to Evaluate Creative Products in Physics,
Doctoral Dissertation, University of Northern [Link]. Abstr.
Int 33: 61096A.
Google Scholar
Ellis, H. (1904).A Study of British Genius, Hurst and Blackwell,
London.
Google Scholar
Endler, N. S. (1978). Beyond citation counts: Developing research
[Link]. Psychol. Rev. 20: 12–21.
Google Scholar
Endler, N. S. (1987). The scholarly impact of psychologists. In
Jackson, D. N., and Rushton, J. P. (eds.),Scientific Excellence.
Origins and Assessment, Sage, Newbury Park, CA, pp. 165–191.
Google Scholar
Endler, N. S., Rushton, J. P., and Roediger, H. L. (1978). Productivity
and scholarly impact (citations) of British, Canadian, and U. S.
department of [Link]. Psychol. 33: 1064–1082.
Google Scholar
Feldman, D. H. (1990). Four frames for the study of [Link].
Res. J. 3: 104–111.
Google Scholar
Findlay, C. S., and Lumsden, C. J. (1988). The creative mind: Toward
an evolutional theory of discovery and innovation (with
commentaries and response).J. Soc. Biol. Struct. 11: 1–189.
Google Scholar
Garfield, E. (1975). Highly cited articles: 19. Human psychology and
[Link]. Cont., Life Sci. 18: 5–9.
Google Scholar
Garfield, E. (1987). Mapping the world of science: Is citation analysis
a legitimate evaluation tool? In Jackson, D. N. and Rushton, J. P.
(eds.),Scientific Excellence. Origins and Assessment, Sage, Newbury
Park, CA, pp. 18–37.
Google Scholar
Gordon, R. A., and Vicari, P. J. (1993). Eminence in social
psychology: A comparison of textbook citation, Social Sciences
Citation Index, and research productivity [Link]. Soc.
Psychol. Bull. 18: 26–38.
Google Scholar
Hany, E. A. (1993). Kreativitätstraining: Positionen, Probleme,
Perspektiven [Creativity training: Positions, problems, perspectives].
In Klauer, K. J. (ed.),Kognitives Training [Cognitive Training],
Göttingen, Germany, Hogrefe, pp. 189–216.
Google Scholar
Hausman, C. R. (1990). The origin of creative achievement:
Spontaneity, responsibility, and [Link]. Res. J., 3: 112–117.
Google Scholar
Hocevar, D., and Bachelor, P. (1989). A taxonomy and critique of
measurements used in the study of creativity. In Glover, J. A.
Ronning, R. R., and Reynolds, C. R. (eds.),Handbook of Creativity,
Plenum Press, New York, pp. 53–75.
Google Scholar
Howard, G. S., and Curtin, T. D. (1993). Individual productivity and
impact in counseling [Link]. Psychol. 21, 288–302.
Google Scholar
Isaksen, S. G. (1987). Introduction: An orientation to the frontiers of
creativity research. In Isaksen, S. G. (ed.),Frontiers of Creativity
Research, Bearly Limited, Buffalo, NY, pp. 1–26.
Google Scholar
Jackson, D. N. and Rushton, J. P. (eds.) (1987).Scientific Excellence.
Origins and Assessment, Sage, Newbury Park, CA.
Google Scholar
Juda, A. (1949). The relationship between highest mental capacity
and psychic [Link]. J. Psychiat. 106: 296–307.
Google Scholar
Kirton, M. J. (1987). Adaptors and innovators: Cognitive style and
personality. In Isaksen (ed.),Frontiers of Creativity Research, Bearly
Ltd, Buffalo, NY, pp. 255–281.
Google Scholar
Kroner, R. (1921).von Kant bis Hegel [From Kant to Hegel], Mohr,
Tübingen, Germany.
Google Scholar
Kuhn, T. S. (1970).The Structure of Scientific Revolutions (2nd Ed.),
University of Chicago Press, Chicago, IL.
Google Scholar
Lamb, D., and Easton, S. M. (1984).Multiple Discovery, Avebury,
Trowbridge, England.
Google Scholar
Lehman, H. C. (1953).Age and Achievement, Princeton University
Press, Princeton, NJ.
Google Scholar
MacKinnon, D. W. (1987). Some critical issues for further research in
creativity. In Isaksen, S. G. (ed.),Frontiers of Creativity Research,
Bearly Ltd., Buffalo, NY, pp. 120–130.
Google Scholar
Mansfield, R. S. and Busse, T. V. (1981).The Psychology of Creativity
and Discovery, Nelson-Hall, Chicago. IL.
Google Scholar
Martindale, C. (1990). Innovation, illegitimacy, and
[Link]. Res. J. 3: 118–124.
Google Scholar
Merton, R. K. (1961). Singletons and multiples in scientific discovery:
A chapter on the sociology of [Link]. Am. Phil. Soc. 105: 470–
486.
Google Scholar
Michael, W. B., and Wright, C. R. (1989). Psychometric issues in the
assessment of creativity. In Glover, J. A., Ronning, R. R., and
Reynolds, C. R. (eds.),Handbook of Creativity, Plenum Press, New
York, NY, pp. 33–52.
Google Scholar
Ochse, R. (1990).Before the Gates of Excellence. The Determination
of Creative Genuis, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge,
England.
Google Scholar
O'Quinn, K., and Besemer, S. (1989). The development, reliability,
and validity of the revised Creative Product Semantic [Link].
Res. J. 2: 267–278.
Google Scholar
Rhodes, M. (1961). An analysis of [Link] Delta Kappan 42:
305–310.
Google Scholar
Richards, R. L. (1981). Relationships between creativity and
psychopathology: An evaluation and interpretation of the
[Link]. Psychol. Monogr. 103: 261–324.
PubMed Google Scholar
Rubenson, D. L. (1990). The accidental [Link]. Res. J. 3:
125–129.
Google Scholar
Runco, M. A., and Bahleda, M. D. (1986). Implicit theories of artistic,
scientific, and everyday creativity.J. Creat. Behav. 20: 93–98.
Google Scholar
Rushton, J. P. (1990). Creativity, intelligence, and
[Link]. Indiv. Diff. 11: 1291–1298.
Google Scholar
Rushton, J. P., Murray, H. G., and Paunonen, S. V. (1987).
Personality characteristics associated with high research productivity.
In Jackson, D. N., and Rushton, J. P. (eds.),Scientific Excellence.
Origins and Assessment, Sage, Newbury Park, CA, pp. 129–148.
Google Scholar
Schmookler, J. (1966).Invention and Economic Growth, Harvard
University Press, Cambridge, MA.
Google Scholar
Simonton, D. K. (1976). Do Sorokin's data support his theory? A
study of generational fluctuations in philosophical beliefs.J. Sci.
Study Rel. 15: 187–198.
Google Scholar
Simonton, D. K. (1984a).Genius, Creativity, and Leadership:
Historiometric Inquiries, Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA.
Google Scholar
Simonton, D. K. (1984b). Creative productivity and age: A
mathematical model based on a two-step cognitive [Link].
Rev. 4: 77–111.
Google Scholar
Simonton, D. K. (1986). Multiple discoveries: Some Monte Carlo
simulations and Gedanken [Link] 9: 127–137.
Google Scholar
Simonton, D. K. (1987). Multiples, chance, genius, and Zeitgeist. In
Jackson, D. N., and Rushton, J. P. (eds.),Scientific Excellence.
Origins and Assessment, Sage, Newbury Park, CA.
Google Scholar
Simonton, D. K. (1988).Scientific Genius. A Psychology of Science.
Cambridge University Press, New York.
Google Scholar
Simonton, D. K. (1990). Political pathology and societal
[Link]. Res. J. 3: 85–99.
Google Scholar
Stahira, W. E., and Walberg, H. J. (1990). Psychological mediators of
the inverse pathology-creativity [Link]. Res. J. 3: 130–133.
Google Scholar
Stein, M. I. (1990). Anabolic and catabolic factors in the creative
[Link]. Res. J. 3: 134–145.
Google Scholar
Sternberg, R. J. (1985). Implicit theories of intelligence, creativity,
and wisdom.J. Person. Soc. Psychol. 49: 607–627.
Google Scholar
Taylor, C. W. (1987). A high-tech high-touch concept of creativity-
with its complexity made simple for wide adoptability. In Isaksen, S.
G. (ed.),Frontiers of Creativity Research, Bearly Ltd., Buffalo, NY,
pp. 131–155.
Google Scholar
Taylor, I. A., and Sandler, B. J. (1972). Use of a creative product
inventory for evaluating products of [Link]. 80th Annu.
Conv. Am. Psychol. Assoc. 7: 311–312.
Google Scholar
Taylor, C. W., Smith, W. R., and Ghiselin, B. (1963). The creative and
other contributions of one sample of research scientists: The
inadequacy of undergraduate grade as a substitute criteria for on-the-
job research performance. In Taylor, C. W. (ed.),Scientific Creativity:
Its Recognition and Development, Wiley, New York, pp. 72–75.
Google Scholar
Torrance, E. P. (1962).Guiding Creative Talent, Prentice-Hall,
Englewood Cliffs, NJ.
Google Scholar
Treffinger, D. J. (1987). Research on creativity assessment. In
Isaksen, S. G. (ed.),Frontiers of Creativity Research, Bearly Ltd.,
buffalo, NY, pp. 103–119.
Google Scholar
Vernon, P. E. (1987). Historical overview of research on scientific
abilities. In Jackson, D. N. and Rushton, J. P. (eds.),Scientific
Excellence. Origins and Assessment, Sage, Newbury Park, CA.
Google Scholar
Yaroshevskii, M. G. (1987). The psychology of creativity and creativity
in [Link]. Psychol. 25: 22–44.
Google Scholar
Yuasa, M. (1974). The shifting center of scientific activity in the west:
From the 16th to the 20th century. In Shigeru, N., Swain, D. L., and
Eri, Y. (eds.),Science and Society in Modern Japan, Tokyo University
Press, Tokyo, pp. 81–103.