Conflict and Creativity

Synonyms

Adaptation; Asynchrony; Brainstorming teams; Cost of expertise; Marginality; Mindfulness; Originality; Preference for complexity

There are quite a few parallels between the evolution of Homo sapiens and the development of individuals. Historically, the theory that ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny was not used to describe the entire lifespan, but only prenatal development, and in any case it did not hold up. Yet there are parallels between evolution and development, especially if you take the lifespan perspective. The most obvious may be that just as adaptation allows a species to evolve and survive so too do learning and coping allow an individual to live an effective life. Conflict of some sort plays a role in adaptation and coping, as well as creativity.

Creativity, like learning, adaptability, and coping, helps individuals to lead an effective life. In fact, creative talent may facilitate adaptability. This is especially likely given that life is fraught with challenges....