Divergent Thinking During Early Adolescence: Changes in Fluency, Flexibility, and Originality

• In Event: 15.049 - Advancing Creativity for Talent Development

Abstract

Divergent thinking has been studied in the creativity field as a measure of creative potential and has provided researchers one valid way to understand creative development and its effects on school and life outcomes. Still, little is known about how the factors that make up divergent thinking develop during early adolescence. This study begins to fill this gap using a robust structural equation latent growth modeling approach, called the dual change score model. The results suggest that originality remains stable, while flexibility and fluency decline. Educators should focus on creating more opportunities for purposeful divergent thinking and supporting students’ capacity to persist longer in thinking of new and different ideas when exploring possibilities.

Authors

• Ross C Anderson, University of Oregon

• Matthew C Graham, University of Oregon