Academic literature on the topic 'Test of creativity'

This study proposed an alternative method of scoring the Torrance Test of Creative Thinking: Thinking Creatively with Words (TTCT: Verbal A). This scoring method was compared to the conventional scoring method. I first considered the current method of scoring, "the old method" and then proposed a "new method". The old and the new methods of scoring were compared on a subscale of the TTCT. Both the old and the new methods of scoring were then compared to the Canadian Test of Basic Skills (CTBS) total language scores to determine if a relationship existed between verbal academic achievement versus the creativity construct. The new scoring method of creativity showed an improvement over the old method of scoring on the TTCT: Verbal A subtest. The reliability coefficient, for internal consistency, declined from 0.83 to 0.54. This decline was interpreted as an improvement because the initial value of 0.83 was artificially high. This was due, to a very high intercorrelation between fluency and originality (inter-attribute correlation value =. 97). The new scoring method corrected this inflation. I found a veiy low, negative correlation between CTBS total language and both the old and the new methods of scoring for creativity. The correlation coefficients were -.18, and -.17, respectively. This low value negative correlation demonstrated that creativity was not connected to verbal academic achievement. Although divergent thinking is the most commonly used aspect of creative thinking, previous researchers (e.g., Runco, 1986) have suggested that the tests of creativity lack reliability. The issue of reliability of a test score has generally been defined in terms of variation of scores obtained by the individual on successive independent testing (Cronbach, 1947). Neither the assumption of constancy of true scores nor the assumptions of experimental independence can be realized in practice with most psychological variables. Therefore, the composite reliability of a test needs to be considered as a concept, which can not be directly measured. Torrance (1986) specifically discouraged the use of composite test scores and instead recommended interpretation of the subscale scores in relation to one another. The fundamental problem currently faced with the TTCT is that scores derived from the same response data cause potentially spuriously subscale correlation. This inflates the reliability coefficient and seriously jeopardizes score consistency and reliability. Thorndike (1972) has argued that fluency, flexibility, and originality scores tended to be highly correlated, since all are accumulated over the same set of responses given by the examinees. This seriously discounts the value of the old scoring formula recommended by the Technical Scoring Formula of the TTCT. This fundamental problem of scoring has been attributed to derivation of five separate scores in that the scores were derived from the same response data (Heasusler & Thompson, 1988). This type of score derivation introduced spuriously high scale correlation because the flexibility, fluency, and originality scores tended to be highly correlated. Through some corrective procedures, correcting fluency, Clark and Mirels (1970) recommended that correlation coefficient value from several measures of Torrance's Test of Creative Thinking (Figure Completion) would decrease. This procedure consisted of administering a revised form of the sub-test to 93 students. These were then scored, based on fluency, flexibility, originality, and elaboration. Corrected fluency scores led to lower reliability coefficient values. My study had a similar experience. The alpha coefficient value dropped to .54 from .83, with the new scoring method. My research dealt with the score inflation, with the old scoring method, scoring inconsistency, and, proposed a new method of scoring the TTCT. I also highlighted the issue of inter-attribute high correlation between fluency and originality attributes. These two attributes are the main ingredients in assessing creativity. My research focused on the three traits of creativity, namely: (1) the fluency, (2) the originality, (3) the flexibility. These were measured with the use of the TTCT: Verbal A: Activity 4: Product Improvement. The TTCT was administered to a sample of children (N=187) in grades4 to 8. The data was analyzed to assess score reliability. The existing CTBS total language scores available at the school were also utilized in order to consider any relationship between creativity and verbal academic achievement. The new scoring method enhanced the reliability coefficient and improved upon the scoring techniques. The new scoring approach adopted the same scoring techniques as the old method' with the measurement of fluency and flexibility attributes. However, with the measurement of originality attribute, a new approach was adopted. The new scoring method I have designed considered only the two score attributes; fluency and flexibility. The originality score, which is simply a "fall-out" from the fluency score, was not included. This exclusion avoided double counting between fluency and originality and dealt with the high correlation problem between these two attributes. With the old scoring method, the correlation between fluency and originality would be as high as .99 (Thorndike, 1972). This simply indicated that fluency and originality attributes were measuring the same creativity dimension. The new method of scoring rectified this problem. Hocevar (1979) recommended a method as a way of improving test reliability. Hocevar's method, however, recommended scoring for originality and flexibility and dividing the resulting score by the total number of responses. His recommendation was very valid in improving discriminant validity and did not address the score inflation and high inter-attribute correlation problem between fluency and, originality. I have somewhat revised his recommended method and proposed that e capture the flexibility and fluency responses and divide the resulting score by the total number of responses. This ensured consistency in measurement and corrected the high inter-correlation problem between the TTCT attributes. It also improved score reliability. Under the new method of scoring, each response for flexibility and fluency is adjusted by dividing the resulting scores by the total number of responses. Since fluency scores tended to be highly correlated with the originality scores, this new approach safeguarded against duplication in scoring also reduced spurious correlation between fluency and originality. Originality attribute was no longer required for scoring. Division of both flexibility and fluency by the total number of responses also streamlined the overall composite score. The composite score of the TTCT, under the new method contained fluency and flexibility scores. This also ensured that a number of response which would normally be scored with "0", would be considered as part of the fluency score, as originality attribute was no longer considered. The factor analytic results obtained by Heauslar and Thompson (1988) showed that the TTCT subscale yielded discrete scores. The general creativity factors were sufficient in assessing creative behavior. These factors included fluency, flexibility and originality. The total TTCT scores were not recommended (Torrance, 1974; Torrance & Ball, 1984) for assessment of creativity. He recommended using scores of fluency, flexibility and originality. This also jeopardized the integrity of the total creativity scores. The new method improved the reliability of the test scores of We TTCT by enhancing the existing scoring methodology. With the old scoring approach of originality, responses which did not meet the pre-determined fluency categories, were scored a "0", regardless of the relevancy of response. This diluted the originality scored, and distorted score reliability. The new method considered all the fluency responses and scrutinized all response for consistency under fluency category. Fluency attribute was not simply considered as the number of total ideas, regardless of the degree of relevancy of task on hand. Each response of fluency was evaluated for its relevancy, in view of the task, on hand. This streamlined the scoring approach with fluency. With the new method of scoring, the standardized alpha coefficient declined from .83 to .54. The new method of scoring improved the process and made it easy and more relevant to score for fluency and flexibility. A very low, negative linear relationship was found between the creativity construct and academic achievement, as represented CTBS total language test.<br>Education, Faculty of<br>Educational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education (ECPS), Department of<br>Graduate

The thesis deals with the topic of creativity, which is considered to be an integral part of human life and is often perceived as one of the major prerequisites of successful individuals on both professional and personal levels. The first few chapters are dedicated to human creativity from a theoretical point of view. They summarize all up-to-date knowledge concerning this topic and focus on research in this area. This later became the basis of my own research project I am presenting in this work. The following chapters are directly dedicated to the executed research project, which is analyzed in terms of its structure. The area of research and its goals are specified and introduced here. I then characterize the involved respondents, the proposed methodology and explain which feature or area of creativity they deal with. I then further explain the evaluation method of the collected data. As part of the output evaluation I pointed out interesting facts obtained through the research and formulated a hypothesis, which observes a certain tendency to creativity in relation to the chosen field of study.

La créativité s’exprime dans tous les domaines de l'activité humaine et devrait êtreparticulièrement utile pour faciliter les transitions psychologiques de la période del’adolescence. Après avoir examiné les principaux travaux actuels sur l’adolescence, lasocialisation et la créativité, cette recherche s’engage sur l’étude des relations entre créativitéet socialisation au moment de l’adolescence. 149 adolescents français et 173 adolescentssyriens ont répondu à un questionnaire comportant : des items adaptés des tests de Torrance,des questions originales permettant d’apprécier la socialisation scolaire, la perception de laréussite scolaire, la socialisation extra-Scolaire, et certaines caractéristiques familiales.L’objectif était d’apprécier si les relations entre créativité et socialisation sont analogues dansles deux contextes culturels, pas de comparer les performances créatives des deux groupesd’adolescents, et d’évaluer séparément le développement de la pensée créative dans les deuxpopulations.Les données ont été analysées principalement en repérant les corrélations significativesentre les divers indices de créativité et de socialisation. Une analyse qualitative desproductions créatives a également été menée. Dans l’ensemble, contrairement à noshypothèses, les corrélations entre créativité et socialisation se sont révélées plutôt faibles saufpour la perception de la réussite scolaire, et pour la pratique des activités extrascolaire. Ellessont également peu systématiques et diffèrent sur de nombreux points quand on compare lesdonnées françaises et syriennes. L’analyse qualitative permet également de montrer quel’évaluation de la créativité dépend des représentations culturelles et de l’expérience acquise<br>Creativity is apparent in every domain of human activity. In particular, it should beespecially useful to facilitate the psychological transitions in the adolescent period. Followingan examination of main present studies on adolescence, socialization, and creativity, thisresearch contributes to investigate the relations between creativity and socialization duringadolescence. 149 French adolescents and 173 Syrian adolescents completed a questionnaireincluding items adapted from Torrance tests, original questions on school socialization,perception of school achievement, out of school socialization, and some family features. Theaim was to understand if the relations between creativity and socialization are analogous inthe two cultural contexts, not to compare the performance on creativity between the twoadolescent groups, and to evaluate independently the development of the creative thinking inboth samples.Data were mainly analyzed by stressing the significant correlations between the variousindex of creativity and socialization. A qualitative analysis of creative products was alsoconducted. As a whole, contrary to our hypothesis, the correlation between creativity andsocialization were quite low except for the perception of school achievement and the practiceof extracurricular activities. They were also not systematic and they differed in numerousaspects when French data and Syrian data were compared. Besides, the qualitative analysis letto show how creativity assessment depends on cultural representations and learnedexperiences

In spite of the growing popularity of virtual worlds for gaming, recreation, and education, few studies have explored the efficacy of 3D immersive virtual worlds in post-secondary instruction; even fewer discuss the ability of virtual worlds to help young adults develop creative thinking. This study investigated the effect of virtual world education on creative thought for university level students. Over the course of two semesters, a total of 97 university students participated in this study. Forty-six of these participants (experimental group) spent time in a specially designed virtual world environment, the V.I.E.W., while 51 of the participants (control group) met exclusively in a real-world classroom. Creative thought was measured before and after the intervention with the Torrance Test of Creative Thinking Verbal Forms A and B. Although the experimental group's ending scores did not reach the level of the control group's scores, results showed overall statistically significant gains for the experimental group at p = .033. The experimental group also achieved greater gains in the subcategories of fluency and flexibility, with significance at p = .036 and p = .043, respectively. At the end of the course, independent raters measured the creativity expressed in student art critiques, using a scale developed for this study. No overall significant differences between groups were found in the art critiques, except in the category of spatial awareness, where the experimental group's scores were significantly higher than the control group's scores at p = .039. For both instruments, analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to evaluate statistical data. Results suggest that immersive worlds can be at least as well suited as traditional university classrooms for developing creative thought—particularly in the context of art education. Implications for researchers, students, educators, and administrators are discussed.

Este estudo teve como objetivo investigar se o Teste Wartegg é um instrumento capaz de avaliar a criatividade em seleção de pessoal. Foi realizada uma validade de construto através de estudos correlacionais entre indicadores de criatividade nos protocolos do Wartegg e do Torrance – Forma Figural. Participaram desta pesquisa 68 candidatos de processos seletivos, 47% homens e 52,7% mulheres, com idades entre 18 e 41 anos. Foram observadas evidências de fidedignidade no Wartegg correlacionando-se os itens que compõem as categorias que se acredita estarem relacionadas com a função básica imaginação – criatividade, flexibilidade, visão convencional e rigidez – com seus totais. O melhor indicador no Wartegg para investigar a criatividade foi o somatório da criatividade com a flexibilidade. Além disso, verificou-se uma correlação direta entre o campo 5 do Wartegg e os índices criativos figurais do Torrance (ICF 1 e ICF 2). Ainda que o estudo em questão apresente alguma evidência de validade, novos estudos são necessários. Por fim, constata-se que o objetivo do Wartegg, tanto pelo rapport como pela construção teórica, está muito mais direcionado para o entendimento de questões mais amplas da personalidade do que para a investigação de uma função básica específica. Entretanto, a correlação das funções básicas com testes que investiguem o mesmo construto talvez seja uma das únicas formas de validar o instrumento, tendo em vista a dificuldade de encontrar um teste que avalie as condições de personalidade de maneira tão ampla.<br>This study it had as objective to investigate if the Wartegg Test is an instrument capable to assess the creativity in personnel selection. A construct validity has been verified through correlation studies between creativity indicators in the protocols of the Wartegg Test and those of the Figural Form of the Torrance Test. Sixty eight candidates for selective processes, 47.0% men and 52.7% women, were involved in this research, ranging from 18 to 41 years of age. Evidences of trustworthiness in the Wartegg Test had been observed correlating items of categories which were assumed to be related with the basic function imagination - creativity, flexibility, conventional vision and rigidity - with its totals. The best Wartegg indicator found to investigate creativity is the sum of creativity plus flexibility. Moreover, a direct correlation was verified between field 5 of the Wartegg and the figural creativity index of the Torrance (ICF 1 e ICF 2). Despite the study presents some evidence of validity, new studies are required. Finally, it is evident the objective of the Wartegg, as much for rapport as for the theoretical construction, is more directed to understanding of ampler questions of personality than to investigation of a specific basic function. However, the correlation between basic functions and tests which investigate the same construct may be the only way to validate the instrument, due the difficulty in finding a test that evaluates conditions of personality in so ampler way.

Neste trabalho descrevemos a personalidade de estudantes de artes, primeiro anistas da Fundação Armando Álvares Penteado, utilizando o Psicodiagnóstico de Rorschach (P.R.) nos seus aspectos quantitativos assim como faremos a análise qualitativa das respostas da amostra à prancha VII. Estaremos observando as respostas aos aspectos femininos mobilizados pela prancha. Destacaremos também a medida da elaboração estética através do fator Z estético, sugerindo ao leitor que faça uma leitura intereativa do Quadro I. Devido à perda natural de parte da amostra, apenas 50% dos sujeitos foram entrevistados sete anos após a aplicação do Rorschach, quando pudemos verificar o bom desempenho que esses alunos tiveram no decorrer do curso (a maioria das médias escolares acima de 7), assim como a realização profissional obtida por eles: todos estavam satisfatoriamente empregados na área de artes plásticas. O presente estudo nos permitiu delinear um conjunto de fatores que predispõe ao sucesso profissional: responder com adequação aos aspectos femininos, maternos e sociais; bom nível de objetividade, criatividade, responsividade afetivo-emocional, capacidade de reflexão, capacidade de elaboração e produtividade e interesses bem desenvolvidos em relação às artes e seres humanos; além de fatores externos aos sujeitos, como cursar uma faculdade de bom padrão e pertencer a um ambiente sociofamiliar que incentive o estudo. O P.R. mostrou-se sensível na investigação dos processos criativos e no estudo da personalidade das pessoas que se encaminham às artes. Da comparação desses alunos com alunos de psicologia da mesma época, selecionados mediante os mesmos critérios, sob supervisão do mesmo profissional, observamos que os de artes são mais criativos, têm mais interesse por artes, arquitetura, construções, por seres humanos; além disso, têm boa capacidade de reflexão. Os de psicologia, por sua vez, têm mais sensibilidade ao contato ) humano e maior consciência de seus próprios conflitos. Isto nos levou a formular a hipótese de que, na formação do arteterapeuta, as duas vertentes deverão ser trabalhadas: o desenvolvimento de ordem estética e a formação clínica. O estudante de artes deverá aprender a perceber e interagir melhor com o ser humano, assim como desenvolver maior sensibilidade e consciência nas relações interpessoais<br>The object of our study is aesthetic creation from the point of view of students aiming at arts as their Professional field of activity. Our subjects, young women of 17 to 23, in their first year at Fundação Armando Álvares Penteado, belonged to socio-economic middle classes and had undergone medical or psychotherapeutic treatment. Initially 183 were asked to answer a questionnaire. Then, through drawing of lots 21 were selected for a contact interview followed by Rorscharch Psychodiagnosis and re-interviewed 7 years after completion of tests and analysis of academic marks. By the time of the second interview, they were all placed professionally. The P.R. revealed a profile of objectivity, creativity, responsiveness, reflection, elaboration, interest in arts, construction, architecture and human science, with average and above average results.Answers to table VII (1 and 3) denote qualitatively, according to Mucchieli, R. (1968), and McCully, R. (1980), positive responsiveness to feminine, maternal and social communication roles. In comparison with psychology students of similar conditions and time period, we conclude that, whenever the art students direct their interest towards arts therapy, they must develop sensitivity to human relationships and awareness of their conflicts. In this quantitative-longitudinal and quantitative-interpretative study, P.R. proved itself to be an instrument of scientific investigation sensitive to the factors which denote propensity to artistic aptitude, since the marks, interviews, and P.R. results indicate a positive headway towards becoming professionals. From the point of view of practice, our methodology can be used not only for couseling but also for carrier orienting students aiming at arts as their professional field of activity