Is Creativity Innate Or Learned?

When you think of creativity, you might think of a muse who inspires a “chosen one” to create beautiful works of art. However, many people wonder whether creativity is innate or learned.

While creativity manifests spontaneously in some people, others have trained themselves through an organized process to get the most out of it. So, to answer the above question: yes, anyone can learn creativity.

The term “creativity” was coined by Joy Paul Guilford over 50 years ago. According to him, creativity is the ability to do something new and valuable. This idea applies to everything a person does. So everyone can be creative when it comes to solving problems or formulating a theory, for example.

Is creativity innate or learned?

Few experts doubt that the ability to be creative is inherent in all people to a greater or lesser extent.

Many authors believe that regardless of the level of genetic predisposition, everyone can learn to be original, flexible and sensitive. Every human being can acquire the fundamental skills to be creative. Creativity is thus sensitive to experience and the challenges one faces drive and strengthen it.

Other authors also claim that all children are naturally creative. Researchers know that between the ages of three and five, children go through a phase in which they constantly formulate questions and think divergently.

This is a stage characterized by a creativity that they can sustain for a lifetime in a suitably enhanced environment. Thus, these authors believe that creativity is innate. Unfortunately, many people lose this skill as the years go by.

Be that as it may, and although it is a complex process, a person can train himself to be creative. Also, anything you can learn can be taught. So it comes down to developing creative attitudes such as imagination, curiosity and criticism, in addition to self-confidence, proactivity, frustration management, and perseverance.

When it comes to creativity, keep the following in mind:

• Creativity should be taught from the interests of the individual and taking into account their abilities.

• Teachers should use simulation, consultation and discovery methods.
• Also, imagination and curiosity should be stimulated in a basic way throughout the training.
• Education should encourage the integrated use of different materials, ideas, methods and resources.
• In addition, it should explore, research and experiment. In short, seeking new challenges and discovering needs and resources.
• It should promote self-evaluation and self-criticism, with the aim of determining whether the result is useful and valuable.
• It must also acquire the specific knowledge that is useful for the creative process.
• Creativity is determined by motivation and effort.
• You must acquire basic skills such as language, problem solving and goal orientation.
• You also need to have confidence in yourself and promote the expression of your ideas.

• Finally, there must be opportunities to initiate creative processes, balanced in freedom and structure.

What hinders creativity?

In addition to teaching creativity through a set of guidelines, keep in mind that there are other factors that can hinder creativity.

For example, people’s experiences may have reinforced or taught schemas in which other modes of action or expression were not valid. In this regard, you should focus on the importance of the result and on the added value of following a creative process.

Second, extrinsic motivation is much celebrated and reinforced today because it helps to adapt to a medium that follows narrow and stable parameters.

For example, getting good grades or a pat on the back from a superior. However, one needs to explore new avenues to foster creativity and imagination and come up with new options. To achieve this, it is essential to find and promote intrinsic motivation.

Finally, people’s need to identify with a peer group leads them to imitate each other and develop similar behaviors and attitudes. So to foster creativity, you should try to be autonomous and develop your own unique characteristics and attitudes.