Scientific Geniuses' Psychopathology as a Moderator in the Relation Between Creative Contribution Types and Eminence

The Structure of Creative Thinking: Visual and Verbal Areas

“…Thus, it can be said that holistic structure of 104 ULGER creative thinking increases the power of creative thinking. Simonton (2009a) explained that individual differences are in the creativity as interests, hobbies, and psychopathology, referring to Root-Bernstein et al (2008) and Ko and Kim (2008). Runco (e.g., 2009) also suggested that the creative process is universal, except for individual differences.…”

Creative thought as blind-variation and selective-retention: Combinatorial models of exceptional creativity

“…Nevertheless, the same principle that distinguishes artistic disciplines from scientific disciplines can also make differentiations within disciplines [89,183]. A particularly interesting case is what happens to paradigmatic sciences when they undergo a scientific revolution: Although eminent scientists who work within a given paradigm display low proclivities toward psychopathology, scientific revolutionaries who strive to overthrow the old paradigm exhibit higher tendencies toward psychopathology [74]. Presumably, the latter are also more dependent on the need to generate blind thought trials.…”

Reverse engineering genius: historiometric studies of superlative talent

“…An especially controversial example concerns recent historiometric research on the so‐called “mad genius.” Although these inquiries into the creativity–psychopathology question are plagued with numerous methodological problems and conceptual confusions, it is clear that artistic and literary geniuses have a more conspicuous vulnerability to at least subclinical symptoms than do scientific geniuses . The one intriguing exception to this generalization is that revolutionary scientists who overthrow traditional paradigms may prove more susceptible to mental illness than those scientists who work to preserve those paradigms . Isaac Newton, who revolutionized physics, often suffered from severe psychopathological symptoms, whereas his contemporary, Gottfried Wilhelm von Leibniz, who endeavored to preserve the then‐prevalent Cartesian paradigm, apparently enjoyed picture‐perfect mental health.…”