Can We Measure Creativity?
Exploring the elusive nature of Creativity and how we may measure it.
Photo by Lucas Benjamin on Unsplash
What is Creativity?
“Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited to all we now know and understand, while imagination embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to know and understand.” - Albert Einstein
In my previous article, I had discussed the measurement of Intelligence.
I went over many thoughts I had on the future of Intelligence Measurement.
I talked about the consequences of Intelligence Measuring tools.
In there I did specify something.
I noted that modern Intelligence tests hardly measure Creativity. This seems to be a result of how far-reaching definitions of Creativity are.
They are so vague that definitions tend to of little use.
We assume that Intelligent individuals are Creative.
If such is the case, we should have accurate measurements of creativity; Measurements of Intelligence that include Creativity.
The most accepted definition of creativity is this:
The ability to bring into being novel ideas and original solutions to existing problems.
But Creativity is so much more.
It is perception.
The ability to see value in that which exists.
It is also the ability to see value in that which doesn’t yet exist.
This perception, this sight, is often confused for innovation, which happens to focus more on the implementation of Creativity.
If you are the average individual you will see creativity as bringing something new into being. If you are spiritual you may view Creativity as discovering that which God may have hidden: Bringing into view that which was once veiled.
Regardless of your views, the fact that we admire the creatives in our societies says a lot.
I do not know if Creativity is an innate feature in human beings.
I do not know if it is a fixed value determined upon our genetic makeup.
I do not know how much of a role our environment plays in the creation of Creative Individuals.
But it does seem apparent to me, that there are so many traits that define the most creative individuals of our time.
Perhaps, within our lifetimes, we may be able to measure this elusive quality.
In a world that is steadily opening more doors than we will ever walkthrough, we need individuals who will identify doors of importance.
Doors will open the flood gates of human prosperity.
It is why I stated that Human Intelligence and Imagination will be the currency of our future.
I’m starting to believe that this future is not far off.
For only through Imagination will we be able to make use of these vast opportunities.
It is only through creativity that we will be able to focus on the problems the future will bring upon us. These are many.
How then will we measure this important human trait?
Is Creativity measurable?
There have been many theories of Creativity. In general, they all focus on four main parts.
Process
Product
Person
Place
Or the 4 Ps if you want to call them that.
The Process talks about how creative ideas come into being. They emphasize on the mechanism used in ideation.
The Product focuses on the outcome of Creative thought. Usually how radical or unique these ideas are.
The Person aspect focuses on the individual. It tries to determine how personality and certain preferences will result in quality Creative output.
Finally, the Place aspect tries to figure out how an individual’s environment plays a role in Creative thought.
I believe that a model capable of explaining all these will predict Creativity.
But there are many theories that try to model these situations, why don’t we have a solid model yet?
I think it is because we do not have a solid theory of Process.
We often know what Creative thinking looks like. We know the Products of Creativity. We know how Creative people behave. Although different cultures view Creativity differently, we know that place matters.
There are theories that include Creativity as an aspect of Intelligence. There are others that separate the relationship between the two.
There are also theories that reverse the relationship between Intelligence and Creativity.
Some IQ tests show that IQ is only moderately correlated with Creativity.
If such is truly the case, it may be due to IQ’s lack of ability to measure Imagination.
The moment we start speaking of Imagination, it becomes abstract.
What does it mean to be able to dream up new things? What does it mean for one to be able to create new worlds or languages? How are we able to create new subjects and widen the scope of already available knowledge?
All these are questions that lie at the root of what it means to be Imaginative. Answering these questions means we will be able to measure Creativity.
The factors associated with Creativity.
I am a firm believer in the fact that Creativity not only defines Intelligence but that it supersedes it.
Why wouldn’t it? What determines Intelligence better than the ability for one to dream up a world in which it adapts to that said individual.
Creativity as such is the highest form of Intelligence.
We do know that there are many things that unify creative individuals. Certain Personality Traits tend to be much more Imaginative.
These people are known to be Open To Experience, somewhat impulsive, spiritual in quest, playful, perhaps slightly hostile or independent, and highly motivated.
But the biggest difference between these people and the average person is their aptitude for Divergent Thinking.
Whereas Convergent thinking deals with finding a single answer to a problem, Divergent thinking proposes many possible answers.
These people are able to make connections between seemingly unrelated circumstances.
Neuroscience seems to indicate that these people tend to be able to make connections between neurons that are far apart.
Given these qualities, we should have great measurements of Creativity, shouldn’t we?
Well… not so much. There are Tests of Divergent thinking. But these tests as with most happen to hindered by the motivation of the people taking them.
If a person is given an incentive for taking these tests, they are much likely to perform better.
If such is the case people who may have something to benefit from these tests do not gain an accurate measurement of their abilities.
A good test will be able to measure the Individual’s ability unknowingly.
It will also take into account many situations that could impact creativity.
Even better will be a tool that measures an Individual continuously. One that could give insights into actions that could promote the stimulation of creative ideas.
The possibilities are endless.
The powers of AI and multivariable analysis.
I stated in my previous article that AI might help us develop an accurate measurement of Intelligence.
I think AI will certainly help us do the same with respect to Creativity as well.
AI algorithms are capable of accurately finding the causal relationships between certain circumstances.
It is the power behind their predictive prowess.
Most Tools regarding Creativity measurements happen to deal with particular circumstances.
For example, certain Divergent Thinking tests deal with the participants finding many alternative uses for a particular item. A person may be asked to find many different uses for a stone. The more unique their answers are, the more creative they are presumed to be.
Often this kind of test focuses on the Product of creative thinking and not the mechanism behind it.
In my opinion, what should be measured is the ability of an individual to change Perspective.
All traits of seemingly Creative people happen to show an attempt to view things from a Different Perspective.
There is a willingness by these people to put themselves in different predicaments.
I propose two measurement scales. One called the Alt-Index. This should be able to measure the ability to Perspective Shift on a scale of perhaps 0-100 for starters(Perhaps improved over time for accuracy once we know more about Creativity).
What I think we’ll see is that on the lower scale people will be able to Shift Perspectives on fewer issues. These will tend to be on more Interpersonal Human-Centered Perspective Shifting. This type of Perspective Shifting will define itself by how much an individual is capable of seeing things through the eyes of others.
Scoring higher on these scales of Creativity will be those able to Perspective Shift on many differing subjects.
Their Imagination would be obvious to those around them. I would presume them to be individuals capable of inventing new worlds at a whim. I do not know of measurement for wit, but I believe they shall score high in it.
Their eccentricity will be on full display.
One obvious trait will be their ability to warp reality( or redefine it). This shall not be due to them actually manipulating atomic particles in the atmosphere. It will, however, be through insight.
An ability to Perspective Shift is one that allows a person to retell a story in their own view.
They will, however, be severely incapable of Perspective Shifting on very specific issues. For example, people high on the Alt-Index may be well versed in Physics, Chemistry, Linguistics, Anthropology, and even Pop Culture. However, they may be incapable of seeing through the eyes of another individual.
If they may be able to view things through the eyes of other individuals as well, however, their ability to Perspective Shift and personify an athlete’s experience may be seriously lacking.
Regardless of what it may be, their deficits will be apparent.
The second scale which I will call, I Have No Name For You Yet Scale, will be a percentile score based on the Alt-Index. One that ranks people in terms of their ability to Perspective Shift.
Now, what if we feed the algorithm all the variables for Perspective Shifting and set it to predict Creativity?
The inputs of such an algorithm could be how many seemingly unrelated topics an individual knows. It will be difficult to measure or calculate but I do think it could be done.
Such data could be calculated by the wide range of topics a person searches for online on a search engine. Or perhaps the amount of “Expertise” a person has within many subjects through articles written online?
It might as well be the diversity of genres in terms of YouTube videos the person watches.
I do believe our personalities do get translated online. As such a twitter feud could be a great source of knowledge on the ability to Perspective Shift on an Interpersonal level.
Using this sort of data, an AI algorithm could be used to create a more accurate measure of Creativity. This would be a sort of ground-up approach to solving for creativity and does not even include Neurological measurement data just yet. Adding information on neuron processes could create an even more accurate model.
So what happens if we were capable of measuring Creativity? Would there be some consequences to this? Should we actually use such a tool?
Should we actually use Creativity Measurement Tools?
Creativity doesn’t seem to have quite as much of a negative undertone as Intelligence.
People don’t seem to be bothered if they were told to be less creative than others.
For the most part, our visions and views of Creativity tend to be that high.
Could this, however, be due to the fact that we can’t actually measure it?
What if we did measure Creativity more accurately? Wouldn’t we be more aware of this quality in us?
I do not know how some of us would feel knowing we were more or less Creative than others. I do however know that we will be more aware of it and that this awareness will have social influence.
Creative individuals will certainly align themselves with more Creative individuals in the hopes that they may gain new insights.
There may be more Classifications of individuals with certain Creative Traits.
As I made known earlier, Classifications usually result in conflict.
If people are treated differently due to a now obvious trait it would add a few more social pressures.
I do not believe that Creativity is a static trait. I think certain individuals may be more suited to Creative endeavors due to their backgrounds and perhaps genetic disposition.
But experiments with psychedelics, for example, all show that there is an increase of Openness To Experience in such individuals and as such enhanced Creativity.
As we discover more about our genes and what they do, perhaps Gene Editing tools may offer others the chance to be more Creative.
As Creativity and Imagination become more socially valuable( As they are becoming at the moment) many industries will pride themselves on services regarding this trait.
Many Hospitals may offer certain Creativity enhancing therapies at a cost. Almost like Plastic Surgery, but more intellectually speaking!
A more Creativity oriented society will definitely be more innovative as well.
Many will feel forced to prove their capacity for Creativity.
New jobs may open up requiring one’s ability to Perspective Shift not only rapidly but productively.
It would with utmost certainty bring a few socio-ethical concerns. However, a more creative society will be more of a net good than it could ever be a net terrible.
Conclusion.
A new era dawns upon us. As Intelligence and Creativity become more important there is little doubt within my mind that there will be more awareness of these traits.
If we are capable of finding models that measure these traits, we may as well be on a path of unlimited possibilities.
If Creativity is indeed a limitation to some, it may in itself be a source of Creativity.
For as Einstein is presumed to have said:
“Once we accept our Limitations, we go beyond them”.
I do not fear a future in which creativity is the source of our envy. If anything, I believe it should have always been so.
I hope this article made you think.
If you are a person of Creativity yourself I hope it made you explore possibilities you may never have thought of.
If you’re an Engineer or perhaps a Scientist or Mathematician, I hope you think about the models explained above.
Got a thought in your mind? Why not comment down below.
Recommended Books: Breakthrough Thinking: A Guide to Creative Thinking and Idea Generation
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