Creativity scholars are expert at measuring creative potential. We have more than 70 years of experience testing creative thinking abilities by asking people to come up with original ideas to open-ended questions (Think of all the ways you can use a brick) and by asking people to integrate multiple aspects of a problem in making something new (e.g., including various shapes in a design). Performance on these kinds of tests predicts creative behavior and achievement even 20 years later.
Creativity scholars also measured creative potential by examining how people see and present themselves. They examined photographs people take in response to the question of Who Are You? Those who describe themselves through richer and multidimensional images are more creative (even 7 years after the assessment). Similarly, evaluations of creative potential of students by college faculty are a powerful predictor of future creative success. Faculty ratings of creative potential at the time of college graduation predicted occupational creative achievement 30 years later.
We know a lot about creative potential and this information is relevant in understanding who becomes creative in the sense of doing and making contributions that impact their own and others’ lives. However, creative potential might be necessary, but it is far from being sufficient for creative achievement. In his keynote address to the Marconi Institute of Creativity conference in Trieste, Italy, Maciej Karwowski asked what happens between creative potential and its successful actualization.
To transform possibility provided by creative potential into creative achievement, several ingredients are necessary. First, we need creative confidence (I can be creative). Next, we need to value creativity (I want to be creative; Creativity is important to who I am). And finally, we need to be able to navigate creative work with its uncertainties and inevitable ups and downs (But how do I do it?).
Creative abilities – central aspect of creative potential – shape our creative confidence. This is a well known effect in psychology. When we are able to do something well, whether that be solving math problems or creative thinking, we become confident that we can do it again. By teaching creative thinking skills we can build not only people’s capacity to think creatively, but also boost their confidence.
Karwowski and colleagues examined the role of valuing creativity for creative behavior and achievement. Repeatedly, he found that when people valued creativity, their creative thinking abilities were related to more creative achievement. But when they did not value creativity, even high creative abilities were not associated with creative behavior. In other words, they could come up with creative ideas, but did not care to put them into action.
The final piece of the puzzle is the creative know how. What is the difference between those who tinker in their garages and those who have sold their inventions? Or between those who have written poems they might have shown to friends vs. those who have sold and published their poetry? Any kind of recognized creative achievement will present obstacles, include times of failure and disappointment, and require people to adjust their approach. Throughout, people have to maintain their motivation, manage and adapt goals, and persist in their effort. Psychologists call this ‘how to’ part of making creativity happen self-regulation of creative action. Self-regulation knowledge and strategies help take creative action to creative achievement.
References
Dollinger, S. J. (2006). Autophotographic individuality predicts creativity: A seven-Year follow-up. The Journal of Creative Behavior, 40(2), 111–124. https://doi.org/10.1002/j.2162-6057.2006.tb01268.x
Karwowski, M. (2023). Creativity as agentic, strategic, and purposeful action. Paper presented at the Marconi Institute of Creativity conference, Trieste, Italy.
Lubart, T. I., Zenasni, F., & Barbot, B. (2013). Creative potential and its measurement. International Journal of Talent Development and Creativity, 1(2), 41–51.
Torrance, E. P. (1988). The nature of creativity as manifest in its testing. In R. J. Sternberg (Ed.), The nature of creativity: Contemporary psychological perspectives (pp. 43–75). Cambridge University Press.