Deciphering the relationship between creativity and Intelligence: J.P. Guilford, Draw a Person Test

   

   Creative thinking is distinguished from other types of thinking by the fact that it involves production of novel and original ideas or solutions to problems. If the product or idea is unusual, the response of most who experience it is of instant surprise or of being startled. Another important criterion is that characterizes creative thinking is its applications in particular context simply thinking of being different without any purpose or bizarre idea is at times mistaken for creative thinking. Researchers tend to argue that thinking is said to be creative when it is reality oriented, appropriate, constructive and socially desirable. 

       The relationship between intelligence and creativity is that both of them are functions of the brain that process information to determine a solution or an answer to a problem. Intelligence and creativity are different abilities that contribute to the other. Intelligence can be measured by the intelligence quotient or IQ. Creativity, on the other hand, is not so easy to measure. The general belief is that people with high IQs are generally more creative, and people who are highly creative have high IQs. This isn't necessarily true. Although scientists have found a association between those individuals with an IQ of 120 or more having a higher level of creativity, the relationship between intelligence and creativity is more of an overlap of skills or abilities instead of a dependence on one another. For example, if someone uses creativity to solve a problem, if they are faced with the same problem in the future, intelligence might be used because the brain has already learned how to solve the problem. Conversely, in order to solve a problem creatively, a person's level of intelligence gives them their starting point. So, the lower the level of intelligence, the more difficult it will be to solve the problem creatively. So, in terms of relationship, creativity and intelligence would have to define their social media relationship status as 'complicated.'

J.P. Guilford

       J.P. Guilford, a pioneer creativity researcher proposed two types of thinking :- divergent thinking and convergent thinking. Both creativity and intelligence are influenced immensely by divergent thinking. JP Guilford pioneered the research and development of the Structure of Intellect model, which helped define the relationship between intelligence and creativity. In this model, methods of thinking are broken down into three separate dimensions of ability: content, operations, and products. These dimensions have subsets of five to six abilities. Guilford's model revealed two of the operations are divergent and convergent production, which depend on creativity and intelligence, respectively, to solve a problem. Convergent thinking, or intelligence, applies to problems where there's only one solution. Math and science problems typically depend on convergent thinking to be resolved. Divergent thinking, also known as creative thinking, takes several different approaches to solving a problem that may or may not have multiple solutions.

Divergent thinking abilities generally includes:

1.fluency

2.Flexibility

3.Originality

4.elaboration

Draw a person test: The Draw a Person test is one of the most efficient tests to explore the creative side of students today. DAP is the ability to discover new solutions to problems or to produce new ideas, inventions or works of arts. It is a special form of thinking. A way of viewing the world and interacting with it in a manner different from that of the general  population. Typically used with children, the subject is asked to draw a picture of a man or a woman. No further instructions are provided and the pictures are analysed on a number of dimensions. Aspects such as size of the head, placements of the arms, even things such as teeth were drawn or not are thought to reveal a range of personality traits. The personality traits can be anything like aggressiveness to homosexual tendencies, relationship with their parents and introversion.

To know more about this test, click here.

The most prevalent psychological disorders in today's society

The human mind is one of the hardest mysteries to comprehend. This world sustains seven billion minds; each one working differently from the other. No definition would suffice to sum up humane feelings or the complexities in the human mind. Amid these complexities arise several disorders in the human brain, which complicate the mind furthermore. Although, the society has normalized many of these disorders, what cannot be denied is the fact that not adhering to these seemingly mild and benign disorders can lead to fatal problems for the individual. Here are a few psychological disorders commonly found in the world today.

• Generalized Anxiety Disorder:(GAD) is branded by tenacious and extreme apprehension about a number of diverse things. People with GAD may forestall disaster and may be extremely troubled about money, health, family, work, or other issues. Individuals with GAD find it hard to manoeuvre their uneasiness. They may burden themselves more than appears needed about real happenings or may presume the most horrible even when there is no apparent reason for worry. GAD is detected when an individual  finds it challenging to device their concern on more days than not for at least six months and has three or more symptoms.  Women are twice as likely to be affected. The disorder comes on gradually and can begin across the life cycle, though the risk is highest between childhood and middle age. Although the exact cause of GAD is unknown, there is evidence that biological factors, family background, and life experiences, particularly stressful ones, play a role.

• Depression: Depression is a mental health disorder. It is a mood disorder branded by insistently low mood and a feeling of grief and loss of interest. Depression is a tenacious problem and not a passing one - the average length of a depressive episode is 6-8 months. Depression is a common and serious medical illness that negatively affects how you feel, the way you think and how you act. Fortunately, it is also curable. Depression causes feelings of sadness and/or a loss of interest in activities once enjoyed. It can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems and can decrease a person’s ability to function at work and at home. The death of a loved one, loss of a job or the ending of a relationship are difficult experiences for a person to endure. It is normal for feelings of sadness or grief to develop in response to such situations. Those experiencing loss often might label themselves as being “depressed.” But being sad is not the same as having depression at all. The grieving process is natural and unique to each individual and shares some of the same features of depression. Both grief and depression may involve intense sadness and withdrawal from usual activities.

• Post Traumatic Stress Disorder: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health ailment that's elicited by a traumatizing event — either undergoing it or witnessing it. Symptoms may include flashbacks, nightmares and severe anxiety, as well as overpowering thoughts about the event. Most people who undergo traumatic events may have impermanent problems in adjusting and coping, but with time and good self-care, they typically get better. If the symptoms get worse, last for months or even years, and obstruct your day-to-day functioning, you may have PTSD. Getting effective treatment after PTSD symptoms develop can be critical to reduce symptoms and improve function. Post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms may start within one month of a traumatic event, but sometimes symptoms may not appear until years after the event. These symptoms cause noteworthy difficulties in social or work situations and in relationships. They can also interfere with your ability to go about your normal daily tasks. PTSD symptoms are generally grouped into four types: intrusive memories, avoidance, negative changes in thinking and mood, and changes in physical and emotional reactions. Symptoms can differ over time or vary from person to person.

• Obsessive- Compulsive Behaviour: Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a mental health problem that affects people of all ages and walks of life, and transpires when a person gets caught in a cycle of obsessions and compulsions. Obsessions are unwelcome, disturbing thoughts, images or urges that cause intensely upsetting feelings. Compulsions are behaviours an individual involves in to effort to get free of the preoccupations and/or decrease his or her distress. Most individuals have obsessive thoughts and/or compulsive behaviours at some point in their lives, but that does not mean that we all have “some OCD.” In order for a judgment of obsessive compulsive disorder to be made, this cycle of obsessions and compulsions becomes so extreme that it consumes a lot of time and gets in the way of important activities that the person believes.
  

All these disorders are curable but it is important that they are detected and adhered to at an early stage.