A small research on creativity

A small research on creativity Abstract This is a small research done by me (as an assignment) associating four university boys and four university girls (from first year to fourth year) to measure the creativity they have by presenting two questions “Just suppose, we would transport ourselves anywhere we want with just twitch of a nose or blink of the eye, what would be some problems, benefits etc. of the situation? And just suppose the world is covered in a fog except everyone’s feet. What would happen? Here, I present the above mentioned two questions to my participants that should be answered using their creative thinking and I hope to use semi structured interview method for collecting data during a week. Introduction Creativity is something that almost all living being has. Though often creativity is connected with the mind certainly, creativity is a product of both mind and body. It should be mentioned that human being is not the only being that possesses creativity. The animals also have creativity. Mostly, when considering creativity birds take priority. They make their safe nests using their creative power. I t does not say that other animals do not have something called creativity. Among living beings, human being takes the first place in creativity. Every and each human being can think creatively. But it differs to person to person. Since the human being started the human civilization he or she has positively developed the creativity. Because of the creativity, human being has gained a lot of things. Actually, in each and every field like science and technology etc. creativity involves. Day by day various instruments and other various equipments are produced using creativity. So certainly, it is no doubt that human being actually has creativity. The English word “creativity” comes from the Latin term “creō’ and it gives the meaning "to create, make." It is believed that the word "create" appears in English as early as the 14th century.(Baron, 2010). Actually, there are many definitions given by world famous scholars on creativity and I think it is important to know though in brief what is meant by creativity. As Michael Mumford says the creativity involves the production of novel, useful products. (Mumford, 2003). Linda Naiman (2010) the famous founder of CreativityatWork.com, and provides coaching, training and consulting on creativity defines the creativity thus: “I define creativity as the act of turning new and imaginative ideas into reality. Creativity involves two processes: thinking, then producing. Innovation is the production or implementation of an idea. If you have ideas, but don't act on them, you are imaginative but not creative.” Rollo May, (2010) another famous scholar who does various experiments to find out human creativity defines the creativity thus: "Creativity is the process of bringing something new into being. Creativity requires passion and commitment. Out of the creative act is born symbols and myths. It brings to our awareness what was previously hidden and points to new life. The experience is one of heightened consciousness-ecstasy." The famous scholar “Edward de Bono” (Jung, 1997) says thus about creativity. “There is no doubt that creativity is the most important human recourse of all. Without creativity, there would be no progress, and we would be forever repeating the same patterns.” The scholars like Sternberg, Lubart, Peter Meusburger also have expressed their opinions and ideas about creativity. According to them in each and every human action human being uses his or her creativity. As humans we live in better homes, enjoy sweet music and other various facilities. In the same way, we have a well developed literature. All those are fine examples to express the human creativity. However, it is obvious that human being can’t live without creativity and day by day human being is increasing creativity. Actually, though creativity is a complex thing, since 1950 researchers have developed to measure the creativity. Most of the researches have been conducted by Dr. E. Paul Torrance, Helson, Isaken and Rhodes. Normally, creativity is measured by self-assessment, interviews, personality tests, biographical sketches, aptitude and ability tests etc. Basic facts of creativity are grouped into four groups. They are: *Person- characteristics of creative people. *Process-preferences associated with aspects of the creative process. *Products- qualities of creative products *Environment of press- factors in the environment which facilitate creative performance. Normally, a creativity test is scored according to *Quality of ideas *Originality of ideas *Quality of ideas. Objectives of the Research The main objective of this small research is to find out the creative thinking of university students (from first year to fourth year). Actually, university students have come to the university after facing very competitive exams. In those exams it is no doubt that they have faced some creative problems. In the same way, in their educational activities also they have to deal with creativity. So, I chose university students (both male and female) as participants of my small research. Methodology Research design Here, I have used quasi experiment method to collect data. Techniques of collecting data. Here, I have used unstructured interviewing technique to collect data as it is the best way to collect data when dealing with such these creativity questions. Participants can have various ideas and opinions about these questions. They may express novel ideas regarding these questions. They may ask some questions me in return. So, here, unstructured interview technique is well suitable. Procedure of collecting data. Here, directly I present the two questions to my participants and I wrote their answers on a paper sheet. The procedure will be followed step by step as listed follows and the place is where the data is collected will be the Faculty of Arts of the University of Peradeniya. *First, I introduce myself to my participants and the purpose of my study. *Get the permission of participants and present two questions to answer as they like. *Finally, I express my gratitude to them. Sample Size of sample: - 8 participants are included in my small research including four boys and four females including two from each year (a male and a female) of the University of Peradeniya. Analysis When I presented these two questions to my participants they expressed various ideas on these two questions. When I explained that these two questions were given to me to do a small research as an assignment. Some expressed their surprise saying how silly questions they are. Really, I had to take certain strength to make them understand that I was doing this as an assignment. Really, I got amazing and wonderful ideas. I have analyzed those ideas as follows. The two questions which I presented to my participants are:- Question No. 01. Just suppose, we would transport ourselves anywhere we want with just twitch of a nose or blink of the eye, what would be some problems, benefits etc. of the situation? Question No.02. Just suppose the world is covered in a fog except everyone’s feet. What would happen? The analysis of answers given to me by my participants:- The analysis of answers given to me by the boys to the first question. Actually, the male students first expressed their surprise when I presented this question. They all expressed their ideas on the first question saying that if people can transport themselves by that way, the society will be changed quickly. According to them, there may be various advantages and disadvantages if people can transport in that way. The first year boy pointed out that if he has such a power he wishes to use it in both positive and negative ways. As he says if he has such a power he would use it to help people who are in danger. In the same way, he may use it to steal other’s property also. He said that he would kill his enemies too. Not only that but also, if he can go so, he hopes to have sexual intercourses with girls and women he likes. He said that he would do it by kidnapping them. According to the second year boy also if people can transport so, and personally if he can do so he does not think twice what is good and what is bad and he does as he wishes. When people can go so, according to second year student crimes may increase as people who do crimes can do it quickly and disappear from that place quickly. The other people or the police will not be able to find the person who did the crime as they don’t know where that criminal has gone. If people would get chance to transport themselves in that way, the government and public bus service will not be useful further and it is an idea of the third year boy. As people can transport themselves vehicles may not be useful. So all the vehicle companies will have to close down. As there are no vehicles the environment pollution will decrease. The traffic police officers, traffic lights may not be useful further, according to him. Actually, fourth year boy expressed something new comparing to other three boys. He said that he can’t think what would happen exactly. He pointed out that the nature of human beings is normally wicked. They behave like human beings as they are controlled by the culture, religion and social norms and values. If people would have such a power people would not hesitate to do bad things. For an instance if a person wants to touch backside of a girl he would do it and quickly disappear from that place. No one can catch that person. So there may be problems about people’s dignity, reputation etc. according to him. When, I compare all the ideas of boys with each other (according to the year) about the first question, one notable thing is that male students have gone deeply into my question and they looked like thinking about it seriously. They all answered except the fourth year student thinking personally. Actually, their bodily and facial expressions also showed the same thing when I asked this question from them. As I feel, they have expressed their inner qualities with those answers as normally a person expresses thorough words what in his or her mind. The analysis of answers given to me by the boys to the second question. When I presented second question to my male participants the first thing they all asked is why only the feet are visible. However, according to the first year boy, if the world is covered in a fog except every one’s feet people will find some kind of communication system to make connection with each other as in the fog it is very difficult to make connections.(according to him). According to him people will try to recognize looking at people’s feet as now we recognize looking at faces. The second year boy also said that as the fog is cool, people have to cover their legs. So the sales of shoes and meshes will increase. A large number of shoe and mesh companies will be built up. In the same way, people will recognize each other by looking at feet according to the second year boy also. As the third year boy says as the feet are covered with shoes and mashes people can cheat others wearing shoes and mashes imitating as the person who know the other person. So there may arise a lot of problems. Surprisingly, the fourth year boy also expressed the same idea and said that the government may order the public to use only one kind of shoe and mash for each person as it is easy to recognize people in that way. So the people who engage in design jobs will earn a lot of money making various types of designs for people. The new thing that the fourth year boy said is that he would find the reason for that fog if the world is covered in a fog. When comparing the ideas given by the boys regarding the second question they all mentioned that people would recognize each other looking at feet and they have some fine ideas about that question. Here, the idea expressed by the fourth year boy is really important (finding the reason for fog). Actually, it is a good nature of good problem solver. The analysis of answers given to me by the female students to the first question. When I presented my first question to my female participants really I got some novel ideas. As the first year girl says if people would get a chance to transport themselves in that way, the government and public bus service will not be useful further. As people can transport themselves vehicles may not be useful. So all the vehicle companies will have to close down. (this idea was expressed by the third year boy also). According to the second year girl if people can transport themselves people would go to new planets to do experiments. As they can transport themselves a large amount of money that we use today for fuel, rockets, satellites etc. will be able to save. The scientists will easily find other planets where beings are alive and they may build homes there and they will go to live there. The distance between those planets and the earth may not be a problem if people can transport by mere blinking eyes and twitching the nose. As the third year girl says people will use to do their works on time as they can reach any place quickly. Normally, today people who work in the government field do not do their job properly when their leaders or bosses are not there (according to him). If this happens, those people will do their jobs properly as their boss can come any time. As the fourth year girl says if people can transport themselves by mere blinking eyes and twitching the nose the plays like rugby, cricket, running 100m, 200m etc. will be ceased soon from the earth as people can do those plays very quickly. There may be no any importance of those plays as every can do so. Simply, according to her, generalization makes no importance. When comparing the girls’ ideas with the boys’ on the first question the girls have presented some very new ideas. They have thought about that question deeply and answered. In the same way, they have looked at the question at a different corner. The analysis of answers given to me by the female student to the second question. According to the first year girl if the world is covered in a fog except everyone’s feet, it will be easy to robbers to steal. The people will be unable to do their day today activities because of the fog. The people will not be able to travel from counties to countries as in the fog airplanes and helicopters can’t fly. In the same way, scientists will find powerful flash lights to suit for fog. So the electricity board will have to work in twenty four hours. As she says, soon the world will have to face with a big electricity problem. According to the second year girl if the world becomes so, it will be a blessing for lovers. They will be happy. In the same way, as it is always cool in the fog the air conditioned companies will have to close their companies. In the same way, fan companies will have to close. As the humidity is always cool some beings may not be able to live because of wetness. Some new beings may arise because of coolness in the atmosphere. The new instruments may develop to control the heat. So those companies may develop. New jobs may arise and people will addict to new life styles. As the third year girl says, in wars there may be no use of modern machine guns, cannon etc. People will have to fight with enemies using swords. There may be no use of telescopes. Some new instruments may be invented to suit for the fog. As the fourth year girl says, the people have to face a lot of problems if the world is covered in a fog. Activities of people will be delayed and parents have to be very careful if they have playful children. In the same way, the people who do farming with animals like cattle have to be very careful about their animals. They have to keep them bound always as in the fog it is very difficult to find animals if animals get lost. Certainly, I got various new ideas from the girls when comparing according to the year. As I assume personal qualities of girls have been presented by their answers. For an instance, the second year girl may have fallen in love. I assume that is why she expressed the fog will be a great blessing for lovers. Sometimes, there may be other reasons also. However, when comparing the ideas of both girls and boys, they have presented really nice answers. All of them have very creative ideas. In the same way, without a year difference both boys and girls have expressed their opinions on my questions. So according to my small research, creativity has no any age difference and in the same way, every one can have something called creativity and gender is not a problem for it. Not only that but also I am sure that they will be able to write beautiful good stories in the future if they improve their creativity. Some times in the future they can be world famous fairy tale writers. Significance of the study: My small research will be helpful to take a rough idea about the creativity of university students. But, actually, this is a very small research and it can’t be generalized. Limitations and delimitations of the study. *Being unable to spend much more time and money than what I supposed to do. *Using only unstructured interview, internet, books, and computer for analyzing the data. *Being unable to check whether my participants really express the truth. Ethical consideration. Here, I clearly pointed out to my participants that I would not include my participants’ names when analyzing the data. So, I have been very careful about participants’ privacy and dignity. During the data collection also I was very careful about their information and I did not record their answers using a recorder and only wrote down on a sheet taking their permission. In the same way, during the data collection I was very careful not to say any thing that affect on mentality of my participants. Time which I took to do this small research is only a week from 12.12.2010 to19.12.2010. References Baron, R. A., (2001). Creativity. (7thed.). New Delhi: Pearson Education. Conger, J. J., Leegan, J., & Huston, A. C. (1996). Improve your creativity. (8th ed.). London: Library of Congress. Creativity. (2009, June 18). Retrieved October 10,2010,from PsychWiki: http://www.psychwiki.com/wiki/ Creativity. http://www.CreativityatWork.com. Jung, C. G., (1997), The sprit in man, art and literature, Great Britain: Ark Paper Books. Lumsdaine, M., & Lumsdaine, E., (1995), Creative problem solving; Thinking skills for a changing world. New York: McGraw-Hill. Inc. Richardson, K., (1995). Teach yourself think. England: Viking. Thomson, A., (1996), Critical reasoning; A practical introduction, Routledge: London. .