6. The why of creativity

This chapter addresses why people engage in creativity. This question can be answered at different levels. On the one hand, one can refer to what motivates creative people to do what they do. On the other hand, the question addresses a deeper level, that of how societies today are built and how they, in turn, construct the meaning and value of creativity. Nowadays, people consider creativity intrinsically valuable largely because of its direct and indirect economic benefits. However, creative expression also has a role for health and well-being. Creativity also relates to meaning in life. The chapter then considers how creativity can be used for good or for evil.

7. Creativity

This chapter explores the future of creativity, launching two calls for creativity research in the 21st century. The first one concerns what can be called the democratization of creativity—the effort to be more inclusive in who we identify as creative, expand our view of creative outcomes, and generally increase everyone’s participation in creative activities. The second, related call is to socialize creativity, which means to take the role of other people, society, and culture more seriously in the understanding of this phenomenon. Both these aims can be achieved through research that cuts across disciplinary boundaries. The chapter then outlines what a multidisciplinary science of creativity would look like.

4. The how of creativity

This chapter focuses on creative processes. People would not be able to have creative ideas in the first place if they did not have a brain to support ideation and a body that allows movement and is receptive to the environment. As such, there is a neurological and embodied aspect to creative cognition. Beyond cognition itself, creativity is driven by different motives and coloured by a variety of emotions. Moreover, social interactions offer the ‘material’ to think about, feel into, and act upon. These psychological (cognitive, emotional, and motivational), social, and material dimensions of the creative process are connected to each other within what can be called creative action.

3. The what of creativity

This chapter examines the ‘what’ of creativity, which is represented by those products coming out of creative processes. These products vary widely. Designer chairs, cups made of entirely new and sustainable materials, and the latest version of a mobile phone are all tangible outcomes. But ideas can also be called creative even if they are, at least at first, intangible. To complicate things further, processes can also be considered creative outcomes. The chapter then expands the focus to creative artefacts. It distinguishes between ‘little’ and ‘Big’ forms of creativity. The chapter also reflects on both the positive and negative sides of creativity.

1. Creativity

This chapter defines creativity. It begins by studying the three examples of Prometheus, Leonardo da Vinci, and the Romanian protests, which illustrate three different expressions of creativity and three different universes of meanings associated with the term. The chapter then traces the history of creativity and appreciation for creative people. Ultimately, there is no single, unified definition of creativity. Cognitive definitions tell something about the creative person and the intra-psychological processes they engage in. Systemic and sociocultural reformulations help one consider the wider dynamic of creative expression beyond individual minds and point to the role played by the ideas of others and the broader culture.

5. The when and where of creativity

This chapter assesses the temporal (when) and socio-material (where) dimensions of context when it comes to creativity. Not only does it take time to create, but creative action itself should always be situated within its time in order to be understood better. And there are multiple temporal dimensions to be taken into account, including phylogenesis, ontogenesis, sociogenesis, and microgenesis. Meanwhile, the little work on physical environments and their impact on creativity has been done at the workplace and in relation to ergonomics. A new space for creativity has been opened through the emergence of social media and meme culture. The chapter then considers the role of ‘audiences’ in creativity.

2. The who of creativity

This chapter discusses the question of ‘who’ creates. The answer to this question is the person who is creative, but this person is not alone. They create from within a network of relations with others and necessarily use cultural resources, from technology to language. It is thus important to expand the ‘who’ of creativity to include the context of the creative person: collaborators, audiences, gatekeepers, objects, spaces, and, ultimately, culture. And, with this expansion, one needs to consider the creative person as they develop over time, from early childhood into adulthood and old age. The chapter then looks at creativity’s relationship with intelligence, personality, and motivation.