Creative thinking—this combination of words raises the question of whether thinking is possible without creativity, and whether creativity can occur without thinking. But one might also ask: Is this miraculous ability called creativity compatible with the rational act of thinking? Are not irrational elements more important in explaining creativity? Are creative processes accessible with scientific methods at all? Has every human being a creative potential? Instead of providing answers to these questions directly, I structure my paper around the following lead questions:
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1.
Which methods of analysis are available to researchers working in the field of creativity? What is the source of researchers' knowledge about this issue?
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What does creative thinking look like, and how does it manifest itself?
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What are known determinants of creative thinking?
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4.
Why is there a need for creative thinking?
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What can be done to improve creative thinking?
Space limitations preclude detailed answers to all these questions, but after reading this article you should feel a bit more informed about the above-mentioned topics.
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Funke, J. (2009). On the Psychology of Creativity. In: Meusburger, P., Funke, J., Wunder, E. (eds) Milieus of Creativity. Knowledge and Space, vol 2. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-9877-2_2
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