Critical And Creative

Thinking
Lecture 10 Introduction to Creative Thinking
IMPORTANT NOTICE

There is substantial evidence from research in cognitive psychology and

neuroscience that distraction can negatively affect learning. Distractions interfere
with one’s ability to process and retain information, leading to decreased focus,
reduced comprehension, and impaired memory consolidation.

For this reason, laptops and tablets are strictly prohibited in this class (unless
otherwise instructed).

If your laptop or tablet is visible you will be marked as having an unauthorized

absence from the class. Each unauthorized absence will reduce your overall grade.
Four or more unauthorized absences mean an automatic grade of 0 for the class.

All slides will be made available on Canvas after the class. If you like to take notes,
you may use pen and paper.
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Activity

Fill in the incomplete

pictures, in whatever way
you want, to make an
image of something
recognizable.

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Activity
Activity
Why Study Creativity?
Why Study Creativity?
Creativity and creative thinking are
valuable attributes that many employers
look for in graduates.

Having a creative mind can help you

solve problems and tasks in new ways
and open up avenues and options in
your life.

Having more of creative role in your

career and life is a known factor in
happiness and wellbeing.
What is Creativity?
There is no widely accepted definition of
what creativity is.

Typically, when call someone creative we

intend to mean they can create new things in
a novel, new or innovative way.

Being creative then requires some element of

innovation – however, this can include seeing
things from different perspectives, combining
things that already exist in different ways or
doing something completely new.
What is Creativity?
‘Creativity is the act of turning new and
imaginative ideas into reality. Creativity
is characterised by the ability to
perceive the world in new ways, to find
hidden patterns, to make connections
between seemingly unrelated
phenomena, and to generate solutions.
Creativity involves two processes:
thinking, then producing. If you have
ideas but don’t act on them, you are
imaginative but not creative.’
- Linda Naiman (founder of Creativity at
Work)
Nine Dots Puzzle

Without ever lifting the pen from the

paper, draw four straight lines that
touch all nine dots.

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Myths About Creativity
Myths About Creativity
Myth: Creativity cannot be taught. Creativity is
something rare and innate – some lucky people
are just born with it.

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Myths About Creativity
Myth: Creativity cannot be taught. Creativity is
something rare and innate – some lucky people
are just born with it.

Truth: Creativity is something that we can

develop and improve.

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Myths About Creativity
Myth: Creativity is only relevant to the arts—
scientists and engineers don’t need to be
creative.

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Myths About Creativity
Myth: Creativity is only relevant to the arts—
scientists and engineers don’t need to be
creative.

Truth: Creativity can take many forms and is

important in all arenas, including the sciences.

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Myths About Creativity
Myth: Creativity is always a matter of
experiencing a spontaneous ‘Eureka!’ moment.

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Myths About Creativity
Myth: Creativity is always a matter of
experiencing a spontaneous ‘Eureka!’ moment.

Truth: Although creative thinking can sometimes

be like that, being creative is often just as much a
matter of persistence, hard work, and expertise.

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Three Aspects of Creative Thinking
Three Aspects of Creative Thinking
Divergent thinking is where ideas and thoughts
are proposed and developed in many different (i.e.
“divergent”) directions.

In divergent thinking ideas are created

spontaneously, without judgement (as good or
bad).

Many regard divergent thinking as the most

purely creative form of thinking.
Three Aspects of Creative Thinking
Lateral thinking involves approaching problems
from new and unconventional angles.

This can involve disregarding the ‘implied rules’ or

questioning the assumptions/presuppositions
that most base their reasoning on.

Or, it can involve using an unusual or indirect

process to produce results.
Three Aspects of Creative Thinking
Convergent thinking is used when you are
trying to find a single correct answer to a
question or solution to a problem

Convergent thinking is typically a (system 2)

conscious rule process.

It involves following rules, in an explicit line

of reasoning, to arrive at a conclusion.
Three Aspects of Creative Thinking
Characteristics Divergent Thinking Lateral Thinking Convergent Thinking
Focus Variety and quantity Innovation through Accuracy
new perspectives
Approach Spontaneous, open- Indirect, questioning Linear, rule-following,
ended, exploratory, presuppositions judgemental
non-judgemental
Goal Generate many Find novel, Arrive at single correct
ideas/possibilities unconventional answer/solution
solutions

Orderliness Highly unstructured Combines structured Highly structured

and unstructured
elements
Three Aspects of Creative Thinking
Read the examples on the worksheet. Decide whether the thought process is best
described as divergent thinking, lateral thinking, or convergent thinking.
What Creative People Do Differently
Ten Things Highly Creative People Do Differently

Characteristic Description
1 Imaginative Play Children’s engagement in imaginative play enables them to experiment with
different types of experience. Carried into adulthood, this playfulness
supports innovation.

2 Passion Focusing on a particular pursuit that the person loves and wants to devote
his or her life to.
3 Daydreaming Mind wandering that occurs when a person’s attention shifts from the
external environment to internally generated, often involuntary, thoughts.
4 Solitude Solitary reflection that is facilitated by being alone in order to avoid
distractions.
5 Intuition Intuitive thoughts, or insights, arriving from unconscious information-
processing systems. These often occur unexpectedly, although they are
often preceded by unconscious mental activity.
Ten Things Highly Creative People Do Differently

Characteristic Description
6 Openness to Experience The drive for cognitive exploration of one’s inner mind and the outer world.

7 Mindfulness Paying attention to what is happening in our mind and in the environment.
Has been associated with some types of meditation.

8 Sensitivity Heightened awareness of the environment and processes occurring in the

mind.
9 Turning Adversity into Creativity arising out of loss, suffering, or trauma. Both good and bad life
Advantage events are potential sources of inspiration and motivation.

10 Thinking Differently Rejection of traditional ways of thinking. Being open to new paradigms.

Chart in Cognitive Psychology: Connecting Mind, Research, and Everyday Experience, Fifth Edition (2018) E. Bruce Goldstein, p.386.
Daydreaming
Research suggests that daydreaming, mind-
wandering or undirected thought strengthens
creative thinking (as well as self-awareness,
future planning, and reflectiveness about the
meaning of experiences).

Practical ways to promote daydreaming, include:

• Taking a (smartphone-free) break
• Taking a shower
• Taking a walk
• Paying attention to mind-wanderings

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Solitude
Solitude can enhance both analytical and
creative thinking that requires focused attention.

Activity in neural networks associated with

executive attention (required to engage with
other people) suppress activity in neural networks
associated with the imagination.

The need for solitude in promoting creativity is also

attested to by many writers, artists, scientists and
philosophers. (Pictured: Ludwig Wittgenstein’s
cabin.)

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Mindfulness
Mindfulness has been defined as ‘paying
attention on purpose, in the present moment,
and nonjudgmentally, to the unfolding of
experience moment to moment.’*

Research suggests that mindfulness or

mediation practices can boost cognitive
control—the ability to focus while avoiding
distractions and impulses—and decrease
anxiety (which inhibits creativity).

*Kabat-Zinn, J. (2006). Mindfulness-based interventions in context: Past, present, and future. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 10(2), 144–156.
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Mindfulness
Some studies suggest that open monitoring (OM)
meditation (paying attention to the flow of thoughts)
enhances creativity more than focussed attention
(FA) meditation (focussing on one thing, e.g. the
breath).

One study* compared a control group with groups

who practiced FA and OM meditation prior to an
alternate uses task. The OM group produced the
most responses and the most original responses.
(Originality measure: a response given by only 5% of
the group is worth 1 point; a response given by only
1% of the group is worth 2 points.)
*Colzato, L. S., Ozturk, A., & Hommel, B. (2012). Meditate to create: The impact of focused-attention and open-monitoring training on convergent and divergent thinking.
Frontiers in Psychology, 3(116). Chart in Cognitive Psychology: Connecting Mind, Research, and Everyday Experience, Fifth Edition (2018) E. Bruce Goldstein, p.388. 30
Activity
Daydream for 5 minutes. As you daydream,
try to pay attention to the flow of your thoughts.

Rules:
• No talking
• No phones
• No giggling!

After 5 minutes, you will be presented with a

surprise creative challenge.

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Creative Challenge
You will be given a paperclip.

You have three minutes to turn

the paperclip into something
useful or artistic.

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