Intelligence and creativity: the role of nature and nurture

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Intelligence and creativity the role of nature
and nurture

• Nóra Domján
• 2009.

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Defining intelligence

• Intelligence is difficult to define.
  Theoretically it is the capacity to learn new
  information, to understand ones world and to be
  resourceful in coping with challenges.
  Intelligence consists of abilities necessary to
  adapt to the environment to achieve goals. You
  are intelligent if you understand what is going
  on around you, can learn from experience and can
  act in ways that are successful in your
  environment. Psychologists differ on how they
  define intelligence and exactly which abilities
  comprise "intelligence." On a practical level,
  intelligence is often defined by what
  intelligence tests measure.

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Types of intelligence

• One possible categorization
• Fluid
• It is used by solving new problems
• The ability to apply ones capabilties
• Opportunities which can be enhanced
• Crystallized
• Acquired abilities
• The usage of academic knowledge

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Spearmans single factor theory of intelligence

• A general capacity for reasoning and problem
  solving ? general intelligence (g factor)
• The amount of g one posses determines how
  bright he/she is
• Thurstone discovered seven primary mental
  abilities (comprehension, numerical skills, world
  fluency, spatial visualization, memory, reasoning
  and perceptual skills) which are correlated with
  each other and rooted in g

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Sternbergs Triarchic Model

• Three types of intelligence that create a system
  (information-processing approach)
• Componential Intelligence, "analytic" academic
  abilities to compare, evaluate and solve problems
  
• Experiential Intelligence, "creativity and
  insight", the ability to invent, discover and
  theorize
• Practical Intelligence, "street smarts",
  contextual abilities to adapt to the environment

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Gardners theory of intelligence

• Gardners theory is based on various sources
  including behaviors of exceptional people,
  studies of brain damage and evolutionary history
  of the species. It is well-respected and having
  an impact on educational priorities in some
  schools, especially charter and private schools.
  There has been a strong focus on only the first
  two of his "intelligences", verbal and
  mathematical, in most educational systems in this
  century.
• Howard Gardner has proposed that we have Seven
  Multiple Intelligences, each a separate system of
  functioning. His seven distinct abilities are

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• Linguistic Intelligence reading, writing,
  understanding language
• Logical-Mathematical Intelligence mathematical
  abilities, logical reasoning
• Spatial Intelligence - reading maps and going
  from one place to another efficiently
• Musical Intelligence - composing, singing,
  playing instruments, enjoying music
• Bodily-Kinesthetic Intelligence - running,
  dancing, playing sports
• Interpersonal Intelligence - understanding and
  relating to others, interpersonal skills

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The hereditary of intelligence

• This issue is very controversial in psychology
• Research confirms that a persons environment,
  their motivation and their training can
  powerfully affect their intellectual abilities.
  Intelligence is not fixed and unchangeable.
  However since the attribute of intelligence is
  partly genetic, there appears to be a "reaction
  range", a range of potential intelligence that
  lies around the genetic capabilities, allowing
  the given genetic intellectual capabilities to be
  greatly enhanced or impaired by the environment.

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Twin studies

• Studies of the "heritability of intelligence"
  focus on separated identical twins (same
  heredity, different environments), fraternal
  twins and adopted children. The data for
  identical twins reared apart indicates a strong
  influence of heredity on IQ. Even when reared
  apart, twin IQs are highly correlated between
  .62 and .77.

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The improving of intelligence

• Intellectual skills can be taught.
• Environment and motivation are important.
• Good parenting can enhance intelligence by
  providing encouragement, support, modeling and
  enhanced environmental stimulation.
• Head Start Program - Early intervention programs
  to improve maternal health care and head-start
  educational environments for children from lower
  socioeconomic homes enhance the development of
  intelligence.

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What impairs intelligence? I.

• One-fourth of all mental retardation reflects a
  problem developed before or during birth.
  Premature birth, the health of the mother, proper
  care at birth, injuries during the birth process,
  mothers use of drugs and exposure to diseases of
  the mother such as syphilis and rubella are
  common causes of developmental delays and mental
  retardation. Several genetic syndromes may lead
  to retardation including Down Syndrome, a common
  genetic syndrome resulting from extra chromosomal
  material, 47 rather than 46 chromosomes.

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What impairs intelligence? II.

• One-half to three-quarters of mental retardation
  do not have known biological or genetic causes.
  Research has revealed that children exposed to
  disadvantaged living environments and denied
  normal opportunities for stimulation and
  education may develop retardation. Children from
  low-income homes may become discouraged and not
  utilize the intellectual talents they have,
  displaying less intelligence than they have,
  scoring lower on IQ tests and creating low
  expectations in their teachers, parents and
  themselves.

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Creativity

• Creativity is a process of producing something
  original and valuable. When solving problems,
  creative people are insightful and tend to do
  divergent thinking, developing a variety of
  unusual, new responses. Highly creative people
  are flexible and are willing to be different.
  Important factors related to creativeity include
  motivation, intelligence, knowledge, personality
  and the environment.

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Factors of creativity

• Extremely high intrinsic motivation to be
  creative in their field
• Self-Discipline and dedication to their work
• Deep belief in the value of what they are
  creating
• Dedication to high standards of excellence
• Creative people are insightful and often think
  divergently
• Extensive knowledge of the particular area of
  expertise
• Profound commitment to the creative endeavor
• An ability to take intellectual risks and to be
  nonconformist
• Willingness to criticize and improve their
  creative efforts
• Flexible thinkers, they seek novel solutions and
  imagine many possibilities

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• Convergent thinking aims for a single, correct
  solution to a problem. When presented with a
  situation, we use logic to find an orthodox
  solution and to determine if it is unambiguously
  right or wrong. IQ tests primarily involve
  convergent thinking. But creative people can free
  themselves from conventional thought patterns and
  follow new pathways to unusual or distantly
  associated answers. This ability is known as
  divergent thinking, which generates many possible
  solutions. In solving a problem, an individual
  proceeds from different starting points and
  changes direction as required, which Guilford
  explained leads to multiple solutions, all of
  which could be correct and appropriate.

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The relationship between intelligence and
creativity

• A normal level of intelligence is needed for
  being creative
• High intelligence level doesnt equal with
  creativity
• Are mentally ill people more creative? ? no more
  than the healthy population

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The hereditary of creativity

• Creativity is not a heritable trait, and theres
  no single gene for creativity.
• We cant look to genetics for the explanation of
  creativity.
• This contributes to viewing creativity as
  something mythical

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The sociocultural model of creativity (inspired
by Csíkszentmihályi and Amabile)
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The Torrance test of creativity
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