What is creativity?

[Change]

I came across this study today:

http://www.theguardian.com/science/2015/jun/08/new-study-claims-to-find-genetic-link-between-creativity-and-mental-illness

Now, I'm teaching myself art, but I don't think being an artist means that I'm more creative than the average person. Perhaps there are more creative artists/writers/etc. than creative people in other professions, but that still begs the following questions:

What is creativity?
How can you tell if you're more creative than average?

Personally I have some idea about the first question--but absolutely no idea about the second. For me, creativity means thinking in a way that's not the average way of thinking. What about you?

[Eara Meraia]

Creativity in my oppinion consists of two components. The first part is the one you mentioned - thinking outside of the box. The second one is practical implementation of the idea born in a creative mind. Practical implementation itself often brings so much troubles and problems unseen to ones eye, that the original idea has to be flexibly changed and adapted many times to actually be embodied and bring result. This practical aspect becomes obvious if we think about the broader meaning of english word create - to cause to exist, produce, bring into being (http://www.thefreedictionary.com/create).

 

Now the second question> for assessment of creativity there are number of old and well known tools like Torrance test of creative thinking. But one can actually answer this question to him/herself thinking retrospectively and asking him/herself how did I act in a situation that doesn't have a standard solution? Do standard solutions, if they are available always satisfy me or am I looking for more? Is there anything that I actually created? Did I enjoy the process? Did it fascinate me? This will give you general idea about your own creativity but of course if you want to know how creative you are comparing to the rest of population or at least a certain group of people you will have to search for a reliable test and compare your results with results of the reference group.

 

Hope I could help :)

[Ary Endleg]

Oh... if that link worries you then you don't have anything to worry about. I remember watching some documentary where they claimed they found the gene that's responsible for making people serial killers and such. Yet like 50% of those badies didn't have the gene. Your head is fine :p

[Mallos]

For me this reminds me of a situation that comes around sometimes where the artist and scientist come together on the point of appreciating a flower in all its beauty but have conflicting viewpoints.

 

Creativity seems to peak at a point in people specialized at what they are doing. For example (different example than the above) an artist might make a painting of a flower or other things and receive compliments by his friends on how good the painting is and how creative he must be. But the artist may see it as an everyday thing between his fellow artists, making similar paintings yearly. To include my above example, a scientist friend can come by and show him a new side to anything.

[Rophs]

A creative person is good at discovering the things we all know (but we don't know that we know these things.) Omnes semper omnes sunt.

[No one]

What is creativity?
How can you tell if you're more creative than average?

I don't know how to define creativity. I could start with the "ability of an individual to adapt" but the subject is long and could be discussed from so many points of view.

 

But for your second question, I'd suggest you go through this page first "Dunning-Kruger effect".

It put some light on the things I've experienced/noticed and it helps understanding the differences between ppl.