Components of Creativity, Verbal Conditioning, and Risk Taking

Abstract

Three studies were conducted to elucidate the nature of creativity, as defined by scores on a personality questionnaire. In Study I ( N = 231) a cluster analysis suggested two important components for highly creative Ss: a bipolar cluster of personal vs impersonal competence, and an adventurousness cluster. In Study II ( N = 160) it was predicted and found that Ss who were personally competent would respond more on a verbal conditioning task if E preceded the conditioning with a friendly (socially enhanced) interaction, while impersonally treated but competent Ss conditioned better in a skill than in a chance condition. In Study III ( N = 62) adventurous Ss took more risks in two different classroom investigations. Additional findings are presented which suggest errors in previous conceptualizations of creativity.