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CREATIVITY Journal special few. Hence, the creative person is regarded as genius. Some people believe that exceptional intelligence acts as spring-board to creativity or formal education is an absolute prerequisite to creativity. All these are myths. We are all born creative. But, still the questions: Why is the creative person so different from other people? Is he really born different from others? Who, and what, is a creative person? Answers to these questions have long been the subject of research by psychologists in order to define the creative personality. To the psychologists, the important question is not why do some people appear to be creative, but why is it that some people are able to use their creative ability than others. Perhaps the question we should answer is: What makes a person creative? Whitfield provides an imaginary tension field which viewed the components of creative personality as tensional vectors (see Figure 1). This will give us an insight on what makes a creative person as described by some psychologists. The personality detrimental to creativity, according to Whitefield, are: Intolerant of uncertainty, dependent, unimaginative, inhibited, non-challenging, conforming, poor finishing and passive. On the other hand, characteristics conducive to creativity includes: Adequate IQ, perceptive, dedicated, forceful, confident, energetic, emotionally expressive, broad knowledge and interest, sensitive, open to new experience, flexible and intuitive. Intellectual abilities: use of all senses, openness to new experience, imaginative, flexible, inner maturity and fluency. Temperament/attitudes: tolerant of uncertainty, energetic, dedicated, self-confident, forceful, emotionally expressive, driven to complete task, non-conformity, challenging, independent, resourceful, skeptical, enthusiastic, high excitability, anxious. De Bono emphasized, Too much experience within a field may restrict creativity because you know so well how things should be done that you are unable to escape to come up with new ideas. 2. CREATIVE ENVIRONMENT: The Conditions in which Creation Comes About The environment may inhibit or enhance human creativity. Perhaps, this is the most difficult aspect to take into account in the study of creativity. Some have been asking: Can we tell whether it is really the situation or environmental conditions that matters or the person involve in the creative act? To this may be added: What kinds of situation encourage what kinds of creativeness in what types of creative person? One thing is sure, the internal condition is in the human being himself, his brain and how he makes use of it. Man is
CREATIVITY Journal
endowed with the characteristics to grow, develop and mature creatively. This is tempered by culture as well as the natural and physical setting. The creative person maximizes his human potentials so that he may be able to adapt to his environment. The internal condition in the individual is the key to ones creativityyou are the only one who can do this for you and nobody else. The attitude of the individual is the most significant element of the internal as well as the external environment. Also crucial in the development of ones creativity is the personal support, encouragement and challenge from his immediate members of the family, friends and colleagues, as well as managers, supervisors and even subordinates. The environment is full of creative products introduced at different times and places. It is argued that creative products are fully developed at times and places where there occur a coincidence of conditions and circumstances favorable to its discovery, development and application. Thereafter, the elements of the creative products are not lost again, but go on being used and eventually serve as the starting point for the development of more advanced creative products until such time and place that a new and better product supersedes the products. The totality of the individuals creative and noncreative environment is shown in Figure 2 as general forces or environmental pressures in a vector diagram. 3. CREATIVE PROCESS: The Process of Creating The creative act proceeds through the interplay of mental functioning in the individual, his knowledge, skills and experiences in certain conditions, circumstances or environment. The creative process, therefore, is the emergence of creative ideas by way or means of the interaction between the unique qualities of the individual or groups of persons and the materials and circumstances attendant to the interaction and communication of ideas until a new idea or product is developed. The question which has been bothering the researchers in their studies of the creative process is this: Which is more important: The creative person who come up with the ideas or the environmental conditions which affect the persons efficacy and effectiveness? Both subject matters, the creative person and the creative conditions, were discussed earlierand we can see that the question permit no answer as yet, both are regarded as equally important. The person and condition, the materials and skills are the interesting tools that keep the creative process on the go. Carl Rogers defined the creative process as the emergence in action of a novel relational product, growing out of the uniqueness of the individual on one hand, and the materials, events, people, or circumstances of his life on the other. It has to be pointed out that an accurate description of the creative process is still unknown. The very nature of the creative process makes it indescribable. Nevertheless, from the results of researches in the creative phenomenon and the pronouncements of the creative persons and inventors themselves, the creative process has been fundamentally described. The creative process passes through several stages. The periods of preparation, concentrated attention, withdrawal and incubation; a moment of insight; then the
CREATIVITY Journal
THE
Join or organize an INVENTCLUB in your school, college or university and we will help you develop your creative thinking and inventive abilities.
CREATIVITY Journal
THE FOUR ASPECTS OF HUMAN CREATIVITY
4. CREATIVE PRODUCT: The Product Created When the creative process is completed, the result is a new product or new ways of doing things which could be a useful concrete idea, a stage or screen performance, a work of art, a musical composition, a scientific theory, a building, a machine or device, orin generala technical invention or social innovation. All these are products of creativity. But what qualities make up a creative product? A product, to be regarded as creative, must have some creative characteristics. A creative product must be novel or original. But mere novelty or originality are not enough, a creative product must also be useful. Still, novelty and usefulness are only the basic requirements, a third primary requirement is that the product must be elegant, aesthetically designed. A fourth criterion is that the product must introduce a change of transcending quality. The fifth requirement, not necessarily the least important, is that the creative product must be realized into a tangible thing or expression. This characteristic, for want of a better term, may be called producibility. In short, a creative product must be: Novel or original Useful, adaptable, practical, functional, workable or operable Elegant or aesthetically designed Transcending qualities, long lasting or much better than existing ones Producible, manifested into tangible product or expression; realizable, serviceable or usable; and verifiable or may be proven in actual implementation/execution. These qualities are however accomplished in varying degrees.
CREATIVITY Journal
The
Creative Thinking (CT) tools listed below are categorized as individual and group techniques for application purposes. It should be noted however that the individual CT techniques are not necessarily limited to individual thinking applications, they can also be used in group thinking. Similarly, the group CT techniques are also applicable for individual thinking application. Hence, the categorization and some sub-classifications are undeniably arbitrary. In practice, however, the individual techniques are quite productive for personal thinking session, while those listed as group techniques are more productive if used in group thinking sessions.
1. Techniques for Individual CT 1.1 Restructuring Techniques The situation, problem or task need an initial restructuring 1.1.1 Matrix Analysis 1.1.2 Morphological Analysis (Fritz Zwicky) 1.1.3 Idea Laboratory (Charles H. Clark, 1958) 1.1.4 Relevance Systems 1.1.5 Attribute Listing 1.1.6 Research Planning Diagrams 1.1.7 Mind-Mapping Technique 1.1.8 Force Field Analysis 1.2 Analytical Aids The situation, problem or task need analytical approach 1.2.1 Weighting Systems 1.2.2 Checklist Methods: Osborn, E. De Bono, others 1.2.3 Decision Tree 1.2.4 Alternative Scenarios 1.2.5 Elimination Approach (Proctor & Gamble) 1.3 Redefinitional Procedures The situation, problem or task need wider/larger viewpoints 1.3.1 Reframing Questions [cf. Checklist Methods] 1.3.2 Goal Focusing (Maxwell Waltz) [cf. Goal Orientation, AGO] 1.3.3 Goal Orientation 1.3.3 Goal Orientation 1.3.4 Successive Abstractions 1.3.5 Analogy and Metaphor Procedures 1.3.6 Wishful Thinking 1.3.7 Non-Logical Stimuli 1.3.8 Boundary Examination 1.3.9 Reversals 1.3.10 Wildest Idea 1.3.11 Use of the Ridiculous (Von Fange) 1.3.12 Modification Technique 1.3.13 Fresh Eye Approach Common place object: a. examination/ concentration; b. new/overlooked character; and c. new uses/variety of uses. 1.3.14 Hotpoint Methods a. Garbage Can Method (waste products) b. Tear-Down Method Person A - Finds everything wrong Person B - Wont agree, and must suggest another c. And-Also Method One adds to suggestions of other persons d. 17-Solution Methods Problem is sent to participants; at a meeting each participant must come with a list of 17 solutions. 1.3.15 Random Technique 1.3.16 Excursion Procedures (speculation and analogy) 1.3.17 Random Juxtaposition 1.4 Associational/Combinatorial Techniques The situation, problem or task need a relational approach 1.4.1 Free association 1.4.2 Direct Association 1.4.3 Forced Relationships or Force Relating a. Catalog technique b. Listing technique c. Focused object technique 1.4.4 Input-Output Technique (General Electric) 1.5 Procedural Techniques The situation, problem or task need
a particular way, simple order or series of steps which may be static or dynamic in character. 1.5.1 Itemization a systematic attempt at dealing adequately but not exhaustively with one item at a time. 1.5.2 Fundamental Design Method (Edward Matchett, 1967) a. Thinking with outline strategies b. Thinking in parallel planes c. Thinking from several viewpoints d. Thinking with concepts e. Thinking with basic elements 1.5.3 PackCorp Scientific Approach [PakSA] (J.W. Taylor) Nine step process: a. Pick a knowledge b. Get knowledge c. Organize knowledge d. Refine knowledge e. Digest knowledge f. Produce ideas g. Rework ideas h. Put ideas to work i. Repeat the process 1.5.4 Coca-Colas 4-Step Process a. Opportunity search b. Form evaluation c. Concept expansion (generation of alternatives/brainstorming) d. Concept development (Synectics is used) 1.5.5 Problem-Solving Approaches
CREATIVITY Journal
C r e a t i v i t y and I n v e n t i o n s
Two interlinked concepts that assume different meanings to different people of different countries. To the industrialized countries, it is the key to their continuous progress. To the developing nations, it is something to be developed and nurtured. To the less developed countries, it is something to find and explore. Human creativity is the principal tool of science and technology and the basic instrument for growth of nations and the development of civilizations. Inventions are the results of purposeful efforts and deliberate creative process. Creativity and inventions invigorate, humanize and improve social productivity in industry and trade, community development and social transformation.
CREATIVITY Journal
is the scientific study of creativity and the creative phenomena developed in the Philippines by a creativity research group headed by Rafael Nelson M. Aboganda and Ricardo S. Cortez (deceased). Creatology, in general, is the study and investigation of the total process of creativity, the environment and conditions under which this process occurs, the resulting creative product and the ways and means in which it may be facilitated and developed. It also examines the creative personality of the creatorinventor, innovator, scientist, technologist, entrepreneur, industrialist, writer, author, poet, artist, etc.
CREATOLOGY
Origin and definition of term. Creatology is a hybrid of the Latin creatus (create) and the Greek logos/logus (science, study). The study of creativity is traditionally within the province of the social sciences more particularly related to psychology and sociology. However, it also correlates its inferences, deductive or inductive, on the findings of other social, natural and physical sciences such as anthropology, biology, physiology, physics, mathematics, and historical researches in some instances. Thus, the principal objective of creatology is to give a description of the creative performance of the creator and the resulting product, provide explanation of the processes, methods and techniques; factors, conditions and settings; and other elements attendant to the act of creation, initially in the Philippine setting. Research methodology The methodology of creatology has been primarily derived from the tools used in psychology and other related social sciences for the simple reason that the study of creativity in western sciences is traditionally under psychology. However, new methodologies are emerging in recent investigations. It has been observed that creatological studies should be an inter-disciplinary and intra-disciplinary investigation going beyond the psychological-sociological traditions in the advanced countries. It has also been theorized that creatology can evolve into a new branch of social science having its own research methods. Nonetheless, the new methodology presently used in creatology has been named salunggalian approach [rooted from Filipino (Tagalog) words salungatan (contradiction) and tunggalian (conflict)] that deals with the investigation and interpretation of observed data in the creative phenomena under conditions of contradiction and conflict. The method is akin in process to Hegelian thought in which two apparently opposed ideas, the thesis and antithesis, become combined in a unified whole, the synthesisbetter known as Hegelian
dialectics. Another emerging method is the systems approach, a local adaptation from management science, cybernetics and psychology-sociology. The salunggalian method was adopted and used in creatological studies due to observations in case studies undertaken among Filipino inventors. In the creative studies, there are observable tensions that exist between two conflicting or interacting forces, elements, or inventive ideas, between new inventions and old inventions, new products and old products, etc. Usually a creative synthesis resolves the contradiction and/or conflict or opposing issues. Research activities and initial findings Preliminary research activities on creatology commenced many years ago in early 1972. By mid-70s more than 120 case studies of Filipino inventors were completed with particular focus on the process of invention development: from the conception of ideas to R&D and product development, market launching and commercialization, and product maturity. However, by the end of 1970s, creatological research has been intermittent due to lack of funds and support from other researchers on creativity as well as funding institutions. Nevertheless, initial findings have been summarized, thus: Observations, measurements and experimentations Initial studies have been carried out by way of refractory or uncontrolled investigation. Preliminary observations and experimentations are leading towards a new concept of creativity, i.e. that creativity and intelligence are a whole. The initial data, however, is insufficient to point to the validity of this new interpretation. Even though many creativity researchers, both local and foreign, are pointing to this direction as early as 1960s and 1970s until late 1980s. New observations, however, have been brought up in 1990s and early years of this decade (2000s).
Creatological studies have been classified into four major areas of investigation, initially patterned after the psychological studies as a starting point
Classification and analysis Due to insufficiency of data and methods of measurement, no classification and analysis have been made in detail, though preliminary classification has been done. Primarily, creatological studies have been classified into four major areas of investigation, initially patterned after the psychological studies as a starting point, this are: 1) the personality of the creator (creative person), 2)thh the
CREATIVITY Journal
Page 10 | 4th Quarter 2008 Backdrop. There are many approaches to development planning and management. In late 1970s, the wedge concept was proposed by Dr. Carlos A. Fernandez and developed by several officers and staff of the Development Academy of the Philippines (DAP). The wedge concept contends that development planning should take into consideration the interaction and interrelationship of the five agro-ecological resource zones: small islands, coastal, lowland, upland and highland areas. In 1980, Likhaan conducted in-depth study of the wedge concept and introduced an Agro-Industrial Rural Community Development Systems and Formations Using the Wedge Concept, which was submitted as a working paper for the Mindoro Agro-Industrial Rural Community Development Project (MAIRCOD) of DAP. From this working paper, the development management systems (DMS) framework for development planning, social investigations and community research was developed. However, it was noted that development planning are mostly undertaken by local governments and considers only their territorial jurisdictions neglecting the wedge concept as an overall framework. In fact, within the territorial areas of the cities, the wedge concept never come to mind among development planners and managers. Thus, in 1995, Likhaan proposed micropolis as a new concept for development planning and management that utilize the wedge concept and DMS as the overarching framework for planning and management. Nonetheless, it was obvious at that time that Metro-Manila has been rapidly growingenlargingto the North and South direction. Its uncontrolled growth in the last 40 years has connected it to other neighboring urban centers in the north, east and southNavotas-Malabon, Valenzuela (Polo), Meycauayan, San Jose del Monte, Marikina, Antipolo, Cainta, Taytay, Angono, Binangonan, Pasig, Tagig, Pateros, Las Pias, Paraaque, Muntinlupa, Bacoor, Imus, San Pedro, Santa Rosa, and Bian. Sooner than we think, Metro Manila will reach as far as Malolos City, Calumpit and Baliwag in Bulacan; Rodriguez (Montalban), Cardona, Morong and Tanay in Rizal; Calamba
CREATIVITY Journal
Calamba City, and Los Banos in Laguna; Santo Tomas, Tanauan and Lipa City in Batangas; and Rosario, Tagaytay and Trece Martires in Cavite. This has a radius of 5060 km, half of metropolitan Tokyo. Considering this development, Likhaan proposed in 1996 a new development planning concept and management tool: macropolis. Similarly, the microtun concept was also introduced as a planning concept and management tool for urbanizing municipalities and enlarging cities outside Metro-Manila, Metro-Cebu and Metro-Davao. The whole macropolis-micropolis-microtun concept embraces the original wedge concept and development management system (DMS), which now provide a simple framework for understanding development planning, human settlement renewal, socio-economic development, fiscal administration, and environmental management by virtue of a whole set of practical theories, methodologies, systems, tools and techniques, and project implementation activities. Presented below are the basic concept of macropolis, micropolis, and microtun. [Initial discussions on macropolis was presented in the Creativity Journal (Volume 1, No. 1, 3rd Quarter 2008). More details will be presented in succeeding issues of the Creativity Journal.]
Macropolis Ma
Macropolis is a development planning area consisting of large cities or an urban area in which there are several cities whose suburbs meet or nearly meet. It is also a development management approach for socio-economic and physical/human settlement development in general, and community development in particular. Macropolis, as a development management tool, is a human settlement strategy towards integrated development of vast urban areasseveral large citiestaken from the perspective of national and regional development starting with existing core areas of each city. It seeks the organized redevelopment of cities or urban areas into integrated built-areas in its totality. Considerable attention is given to the major elements of human settlement, e.g. road networks, commercial/industrial centers, urban environment, population dynamics, etc. with special focus on the redevelopment of densely populated areas or slums/squatter colonies. Macropolis literally means enlarge city from Gr. makros, long, enlarge + polis, city. Macropolis is a term coined in 1996 by Likhaan. Macropolis is the larger version of micropolis introduced earlier by RNM. Aboganda. Macropolis is different from megalopolis (Gr. mega, great + polis, city) which is an
CREATIVITY Journal area containing large cities or an area in which there are several large cities whose suburbs meet or nearly meet. Megalopolis is also called megapolis, an extremely large and populous city. Megalopolis is defined by J. Gottman (who introduced the term) as vast, continuously urban area, covering any number of cities. It is an urban area containing over 35 million people. Greater Tokyo Area in Japan, the largest city in the world, has a population of 39,188,400 (February 2008 est.) with an area of 16,410.57 km and a density of 2,388 per km. It has a radius of around 100 km. across the main core of the city.
Micropolis
Micropolis is a development planning area consisting of a large barangay or cluster of three to seven small- and/or medium-sized barangays. It is a sub-unit of a macropolis. It is also a development management approach for socio-economic and physical/human settlement development in general, and community development in particular. The barangay is the basic political unit in the Philippines. A barangay is a contiguous territory with a population of at least 2,000 except in highly urbanized cities where such territory can have a population of at least 5,000. Some barangays in Metro Manila have population of 40,000 to 50,000 or even more. In fact, Barangay 176 (Bagong Silang) in Caloocan Citythe biggest barangay in the countryhas a population of around one million people and has 250,000 voters living in only a few hectares. Micropolis, as a development management tool, is a human
Microtun
Microtun is a development planning area consisting of a cluster of three to ten barangays or a municipality as a whole. It is a sub-unit of a micropolis. It is also a development management approach for socio-economic and physical/human settlement development in general, and community development in particular. Microtun is a human settlement strategy towards the integrated development of urban and rural barangays (communities) or municipal communities starting with urban or urbanizing areas and the integration of its rural areas into a distinct development area. Similar to the etymology of micropolis and macropolis, Microtun was derived from Gr. mikros, small + tun, town. It seeks the systematized redevelopment of small towns-within-towns or minor cities. The term microtun was introduced by Likhaan in 1996. Brainstorming sessions consist of: a. Pre-meeting preparation to establish or define the problem that will be tackled in the brainstorming session. This is primarily a motivation session. b. Warm-up session to start the meeting. Recommended minimum period is an hour and a half. The purpose of the session is to help the individual members loosen their personal prejudices and vested interests and help move in towards the brainstorming proper. Idea generation procedures are usually explained during this session. A period of problem redefinition can also be included in the session for about 15 minutes. c. Idea-generation proper. At this stage the group attempts to produce ideas at speed. The speed of idea production actually provides a measure of the group's postponement of judgment building on ideas to create chain reaction. Each idea that is presented during the session should be captured. This is usually done on a flip chart or a Manila paper. A trigger session wherein each member work independently for a period of a few minutes to produce his list of initial ideas is sometimes encouraged. These ideas are read out at the start of the session proper, thus generating stimuli for the rest of the members to produce more ideas. A recent variation of the trigger session has been developed. This is known as recorded round robin wherein the brainstorm members are given a sub-problem and three cards. In each card they are asked to write the problem and think of one idea. The cards are then given to other members who add another idea. The cards usually exchanged five times. Ideas produced during the brainstorming session are then screened and evaluated by an evaluation group until an idea is finally selected.
Brainstorming
BRAINSTORMING, introduced by Alex Osborn (Applied Imagination: Principles and Procedures of Creative Thinking, 1953), is the oldest and perhaps the simplest creative thinking method. It follows two basic principles: a. Suspend judgment. Ideation can be more productive if criticism or judgment is concurrently excluded. b. Quantity breeds quality. The more ideas produced, the greater the opportunity that good ideas will be present. Quality is a function of quantity. From these brainstorming principles, four major rules were instituted to facilitate or speed up idea generation. These are: a. Postpone judgment. No criticism of any idea should be allowed. Judgment must be withheld until later. b. Freewheel. All ideas should be welcomed, however wild or ridiculous. c. Hitchhike. The production of the greatest number of ideas should be urged. Linking up ideas to ideas should be encouraged. d. Improved other's ideas. Building on ideas to create a group of chain reaction should be initiated. Brainstorming is basically a technique for generating a vast quantity of ideas spontaneously contributed by members of a brainstorming panel. In practice, a brainstorming group may be composed of ten people, five of them compose the core participants. Ideally, however, six or seven members will produce ideas at a rate and quantity comfortably equal to a group of ten members. This will of course depend on the individual member's capacities. The composition of a brainstorming panel should be carefully selected.
CREATIVITY Journal