Developing Creativity in Psychological Science and Beyond

This article considers the problem of developing creativity, with a focus on psychological science. What makes a psychological or other scientist creative, and what are the attitudes as well as skills that one must develop to become creative? What can educators do to enhance their creativity for the...

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Main Author: Robert J. Sternberg
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-02-01
Series:Education Sciences
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/15/2/201
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author Robert J. Sternberg
author_facet Robert J. Sternberg
author_sort Robert J. Sternberg
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description This article considers the problem of developing creativity, with a focus on psychological science. What makes a psychological or other scientist creative, and what are the attitudes as well as skills that one must develop to become creative? What can educators do to enhance their creativity for the benefit of science and the world? The essay focuses on transformational creativity—creativity that makes the world a better place. Transformational creativity requires individuals to defy popular beliefs (the crowd) and assumptions (the Zeitgeist) and often, their own past beliefs (the self). The essay also provides tips for improving creativity that draw on the experience of 100 highly eminent psychologists who were identified in a survey by Edward Diener and his associates. These creators were transformational in their own field of psychology. Mentors and teachers, in general, should put more focus on developing transformationally creative attitudes in their work with young people, because those are the attitudes that will make the field better and make the world a better place.
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spelling doaj-art-12dd7ff1f1a843a9bf8f192d19eeaeb02025-08-20T03:11:21ZengMDPI AGEducation Sciences2227-71022025-02-0115220110.3390/educsci15020201Developing Creativity in Psychological Science and BeyondRobert J. Sternberg0Department of Psychology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USAThis article considers the problem of developing creativity, with a focus on psychological science. What makes a psychological or other scientist creative, and what are the attitudes as well as skills that one must develop to become creative? What can educators do to enhance their creativity for the benefit of science and the world? The essay focuses on transformational creativity—creativity that makes the world a better place. Transformational creativity requires individuals to defy popular beliefs (the crowd) and assumptions (the Zeitgeist) and often, their own past beliefs (the self). The essay also provides tips for improving creativity that draw on the experience of 100 highly eminent psychologists who were identified in a survey by Edward Diener and his associates. These creators were transformational in their own field of psychology. Mentors and teachers, in general, should put more focus on developing transformationally creative attitudes in their work with young people, because those are the attitudes that will make the field better and make the world a better place.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/15/2/201creativitytransactional creativitytransformative creativitytransformational creativitydefying the crowddefying oneself
spellingShingle Robert J. Sternberg
Developing Creativity in Psychological Science and Beyond
Education Sciences
creativity
transactional creativity
transformative creativity
transformational creativity
defying the crowd
defying oneself
title Developing Creativity in Psychological Science and Beyond
title_full Developing Creativity in Psychological Science and Beyond
title_fullStr Developing Creativity in Psychological Science and Beyond
title_full_unstemmed Developing Creativity in Psychological Science and Beyond
title_short Developing Creativity in Psychological Science and Beyond
title_sort developing creativity in psychological science and beyond
topic creativity
transactional creativity
transformative creativity
transformational creativity
defying the crowd
defying oneself
url https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/15/2/201
work_keys_str_mv AT robertjsternberg developingcreativityinpsychologicalscienceandbeyond