1 Psychology and human development1.6 Thought and higher cortical functions
1.6.6 Creativity
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Written by Resident Doctor Committee · Published
New in the 2027 syllabus
The College added this topic for exams from January 2027.
What creativity is
Creativity means producing ideas that are both original and appropriate to the task or context. Creative work usually needs two kinds of thinking:
Divergent thinking generates alternatives.
Convergent thinking evaluates those alternatives and selects among them.
Theories of creativity
Account | Main claim |
|---|---|
Mednick's associative theory | New combinations come from connecting remote (distantly linked) associations |
Interactionist accounts | Creativity emerges from the interaction between the person, task, social setting and opportunities |
Play-based accounts | Exploring and using rules flexibly allow unusual combinations and perspectives |
What helps and what hinders
Associative fluency (how readily one idea leads to others) gives more connections to draw on. But novelty without usefulness does not establish a creative achievement.
Expertise supplies the material and constraints for innovation. Rigid reliance on familiar solutions can block it.
Play encourages experimenting without needing one correct answer straight away. On its own, it does not prove later creative ability.
Assessing creativity
Assessment separates the number of ideas someone generates from their originality, quality and practical value.