Creativity: Nature or Nurture?
Is creativity something that can be taught, or are a lucky few born with amazing talent? Are there genes that spark inventiveness or is imagination developed as a result of experience? These questions raise an age-old dilemma: nature or nurture?
While in my thirties, I took a class in creativity. It was designed to open minds to think inventively and to increase problem-solving abilities. For each session the instructor arrived with a packet of playful challenges and tests. One day, he brought in an old L’eggs stockings container that was shaped like an Easter egg with an opening in the middle. The class was instructed to close our eyes and imagine walking up and down the aisles of a supermarket as a stimulus for developing new uses for the plastic egg. Over eighty suggestions came bubbling forth, everything from using the container as a plant starter to making a musical rattle with dried peas inside.
The method our teacher so dramatically employed is known as Image Streaming (not to be confused with today’s computer use of the phrase). Behind closed eyelids it promotes the ability to recognize and describe mental images. To give it a try, start by concisely identifying a problem. Chose one where you understand all of the known surrounding facts. Now let your mind wander in and out of the problem by combining your subject with unrelated images. Lastly, find a place to relax and embrace your leisure time as an important part of the creative process. And voila!. . . you might be surprised at the outcome.
One of my university friends told me that when he gets stuck with a engineering problem he has a big lunch followed by an hour long nap. He claims that he usually opens his eyes to a new approach that leads around his obstacle. There are times when I like to take a trip in my car leading to nowhere in particular, letting my mind wander aimlessly while I pay attention to the road. On other occasions I set off for a long walk through the woods. Either activity suffices to give my ideas a boost.
MRI studies of grey matter structure show that during periods of relaxation, brains (especial those of creative people) are more active than previously imagined. In other words, your brain never really shuts down. Ferris Jabr, in a Scientific American article about why Your Brain Needs More Downtime writes, “Research on naps, meditation, nature walks and the habits of exceptional artists and athletes reveals how mental breaks increase productivity, replenish attention, solidify memories and encourage creativity.” These moments of relaxation are why so any people have their “ah ha” experiences while singing in the shower or shaving in front of a mirror. Putting concerns (and the computer) away and adding mental breaks to the day by walking in nature or meditating will add to your mental efficiency and ability to maintain attention.
Image streaming is generally practiced along with relaxation techniques for the purpose of challenging traditional thinking used in daily routines. We walk through a supermarket and buy food, never considering new uses for the products we see. Creative chefs do though. As they travel the isles their inner eye combines the herbs and produce they peruse in a never ending variety of palate pleasing mental images.
I am a strong believer that creative thinking processes can be learned or, at the very least, enhanced and am continually looking for tricks and practices to help me expand the visionary part of the formula. One game I have tried focuses on the mind’s ability to visualize. Over the holidays you might enjoy trying this exercise with your family. Start with closed eyes and imagine walking on hot coals. After a few minutes, describe the experience out loud, especially the sensory part of it. Then ask each person in turn act out what it is like to walk on hot coals. Have markers and paper nearby so everyone can draw a picture of the experience. These mental images are now captured for future contemplation.
Another goal of mine has been to improve my observation skills so that I have strong images to mingle when on a quest for a new idea. The following exercise works well with a mixed age group of children and adults. Place random objects in front of the participants and challenge them to look carefully at their shape, size and color. tell your party to ignore the original purpose of the objects and consider alternatives uses that can be silly and ridiculous, as well as practical. Anything goes when brainstorming. Children are very good at this exercise and often stimulate the adults to become more playful. Unfortunately, with age we find ourselves brainwashed by traditions that cause our minds to travel through narrow thought tunnels.
The arts provide a direct path to creativity. I once visited an art school in Cambridge, Massachusetts that held drawing classes for young children. For one exercise the staff made a large dark tunnel and placed it in the middle of the art studio. Each child was given a flashlight and asked to walk alone into the opening. Upon exiting, the student was immediately given a piece of paper and chalk and told to draw the experience. The images the children concocted were wonderful and varied, demonstrating how emotional experiences also influence outcome.
To help the young: parents, grandparents and teachers can enrich the lives of their children by enrolling them in creative art programs. Employment opportunities of the future are likely to go to visionary individuals who have a flexible approach to thinking.
To stay inventive as an adult: take advantage of vacations or retirement as an opportunity for liberating your thinking processes so you are ready to pursue a new round of creative endeavors.
Want to know more?
http://www.scientificamerican.com -Why your Brain Needs More Downtime
