Creativity

Creativity is a term that belongs to the basic psychological categories of thinking. It means inventiveness and ability to explore new thoughts, ideas, and solve problems in a new innovative way. Creativity, if properly channeled, can lead to innovation.

Todd I. Lubart, leading expert on this issue, defined the following six key factors for creativity:

• Intellectual skills - especially the ability to look at the problem from a new angle, to evaluate the effectiveness of the chosen method of solution, find unusual connections
• Expert knowledge - sophisticated cognitive models in given field, necessary experience, and expertise
• Style of thinking - the ability to think globally and in detail, and to solve the whole problem and also its parts
• Personality traits - tolerance of ambiguity (the ability to tolerate various solutions side by side), endurance, nonconformity, the ability to defend their own opinion
• Internal motivation - a strong focus on problem solving, commitment, vogue for creativity, positive attitudes towards creative activities
• Supportive environment - support of family, educational institutions, culture appreciating creativity

In creative problem solving can be very important to ensure to investigators or researchers sufficient time for the required incubation time.