Procedures to Increase Some Aspects of Creativity

Abstract

Instructions, reinforcement (team points), and practice were applied to four behaviorally defined creative behaviors of eight fourth-and fifth-grade students. All four aspects (number of different responses, fluency; number of verb forms, flexibility; number of words per response, elaboration; and statistical infrequency of response forms, originality) were demonstrated to be under experimental control. The procedures also raised students' scores on Torrance's tests of creativity. Application of the experimental procedures may well be practical for classroom teachers.

A Preliminary Analysis of Teaching Improvisation With the Picture Exchange Communication System to Children With Autism

“…Despite several methodological limitations (a possible increasing baseline for functions and the omission of a generalization probe following training on functions for Khan, the omission of a probe for shapes and colors following training criterion for functions with Ike), the current study adds to the growing body of empirical demonstrations that behavior analysis can be applied to complex and creative behaviors (see Glover & Gary, 1976;Goetz & Baer, 1973;Lalli, Zanolli, & Wohn, 1994;Maloney & Hopkins, 1973;Neef, Nelles, Iwata, & Page, 2003;Parsonson & Baer, 1978). As noted by Neef et al, continued research in this area may make more prominent the potential contributions of behavior analysis to the acquisition of complex problem-solving skills of many types.…”

Behavior Analytic Studies of Creativity: A Critical Review

“…Drawing and painting (e.g., Holman, Goetz, & Baer, 1977), story-telling (i.e., Baker & Winston, in press) and blockbuilding (Goetz & Baer, 1973) have been studied in children aged 3 to 6 years. Creative writing has been studied in children aged 8 years and older (i.e., Ballard & Glynn, 1975 (Funderbunk, 1976;Glover & Gary, 1976), such as the Torrance Tests of Creativity (Torrance, 1966). Parsonson and Baer (1978) Ballard and Glynn (1975) trained 8 and 9 year old children to self-determine and self-administer points contingent on objective parts of speech in their written stories.…”

“…For example, Holman et al (1977) had an independent observer record each instance of reinforcement by the experimenter as well as other relevant events during the session, such as the names, number, and sequence of all forms produced by the child and the duration ofthe session. Although the recordings of an independent observer may eliminate the potentially confounding effects of unplanned contingencies generated by the experimenter's behavior, the studies that have taken this precaution have generally used the same ob- Glover & Sautter Multiple baseline (1977) across behaviors (group design) Goetz (1981) Multiple baseline across subjects Goetz & Baer (1972) Ryan & Winston Multiple baseline (1978) across (Glover & Gary, 1976;Glover & Sautter, 1977). Only one study did not involve any such checks (Maltzman, Bogartz, & Breger, 1958).…”

Training Generalized Improvisation of Tools by Preschool Children1

“…Some proponents of these approaches have been critical of behavior analysis, questioning its capacity to contribute to the development and maintenance of creative behaviors (Cole and 1974; Crary, 1969). However, recent studies have used behavioral principles to increase the diversity of forms made by children in activities such as written expression (Ballard and Glynn, 1975;Brigham, Graubard, and Stans, 1972;Glover and Gary, 1976;Maloney and Hopkins, 1973), and blockbuilding and easel painting Baer, 1971, 1973;Goetz and Salmonson, 1972;Goetz, Jones, and Weamer, Note 1; Holman, Goetz, and . The present series of studies provided convincing evidence of the fact that, in artistic activities, behavioral diversity and the production of novel forms can be strongly responsive to environmental contingencies.…”