Where is the “g” in creativity? A specialization–differentiation hypothesis

“Peaks, Slumps, and Bumps”: Individual Differences in the Development of Creativity in Children and Adolescents

“…This output may be seen on a unidimensional continuum ranging from low to outstanding creativity depending on its level of originality and appropriateness (e.g., Birney, Beckmann, & Seah, in press). Although a creative output can be evaluated on such a unidimensional continuum, this does not indicate that it results from a single ability (Barbot & Tinio, ). Componential approaches have posited that creativity results from people's unique combination of multiple resources coming into play in creative work, including aspects of cognition, motivation, and personality (e.g., Lubart, ; Sternberg & Lubart, ).…”

Slumps and Jumps: Another Look at Developmental Changes in Creative Abilities

“…(a) biological development, especially on the neuronal and hormonal levels (Barbot & Tinio, 2015;Diamond, 2002;Dietrich, 2004), (b) the correspondent cognitive development, including the ability to conduct intellectual operations as well as acknowledgment of one's capabilities in this regard (Charles & Runco, 2000-2001Kleibeuker, et al, 2013;Piaget, 1962;Runco & Charles, 1997;Vygotsky, 1930Vygotsky, /2004Vygotsky, , 1931Vygotsky, /1991, (c) psychosocial needs typical for the given developmental stage (Cropley, 2001;Erikson, 1968;Kohlberg, 1981;Maker, et al, 2008;Rothenberg, 1990), and (d) environmental factors, especially those present in schools (Cropley, 2001;Gardner, 1982;Lau & Cheung, 2010;Runco & Charles, 1997;Smith & Carlsson, 1990), including stress-inducing experiences related to the transition between successive stages of education, i.e. school transition stress (He & Wong, 2015;Krampen, 2012).…”

“…Other potential reasons for the creativity slump in this period include hormonal change, especially the spike in testosterone (Hassler & Nieschlag, 1989), whose above-optimal levels may adversely impact creativity (Karwowski & Lebuda, 2014;Karwowski & Lebuda, in press). The crisis might also be caused by neuronal changes, especially a pruning process in the pre-frontal cortex (Nelson & Guyer, 2011) and the process of myelination related to increased integration of distributed brain areas (Barbot & Tinio, 2015;Spear, 2013).…”

Differences in Judgments of Creativity: How Do Academic Domain, Personality, and Self-Reported Creativity Influence Novice Judges’ Evaluations of Creative Productions?

“…The assessment of creative productions, while perhaps more commonly applied to eminent creators, was developed for and is particularly useful in the study of everyday creativity (little c), according to Hennessey and Amabile [25], because making a creative product is a holistic task that engages all of the person-level resources important for creativity [26]. In addition, product-based assessment is supported developmentally: in childhood, creativity and its components are only moderately differentiated [27]. Therefore a holistic approach is not only warranted but probably more efficient than resource-based approaches (e.g., divergent thinking) to creativity assessment.…”