All creative work operates under constraints. Yet, despite an overall increase in attention over the past decade, the matter of constraints has received much less attention than has creativity, in general. This book represents an effort by the editors to integrate diverse perspectives on constraints in creativity from 22 researchers, who aim to define constraints, uncover their structure, delineate the conditions under which they facilitate or inhibit creativity, and outline how an understanding of the role of constraints in creative thinking can inform our understanding of the nature of creativity itself.
Constraints in Creativity provides educators, managers, creativity researchers, and anyone looking to improve their own creative skills with theoretical and practical insights into the role of constraints in the creative process.
Contributors are: Don Ambrose, John Baer, Paul Joseph Barnett, Michael Mose Biskjaer, Nathalie Bonnardel, Anthony Chemero, Peter Dalsgaard, Vlad Glăveanu, Armand Hatchuel, James C. Kaufman, Agnès Lellouche-Gounon, Pascal Le Masson, Kelsey E. Medeiros, Roni Reiter-Palmon, Eric Rietzschel, Wendy Ross, Diana Rus, Dean Keith Simonton, Robert J. Sternberg, Patricia D. Stokes, Catrinel Tromp and Benoit Weil.
Catrinel Tromp, Ph.D. (Princeton University), is Professor of Psychology at Rider University. She is the author of the Green Eggs and Ham hypothesis and the Integrated Constraints in Creativity model.
Robert J. Sternberg, Ph.D. (Stanford University), is Professor of Psychology at Cornell University and Honorary Professor of Psychology at the University of Heidelberg. He holds 13 honorary doctorates and won the Grawemeyer Award in Psychology.
Don Ambrose, Ph.D. (University of Oregon), is Professor Emeritus at Rider University and
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editor. An interdisciplinary scholar, Don’s awards include the Mensa Lifetime Achievement and NAGC distinguished scholar. He does invited keynote presentations throughout the world.
List of Figures and Tables
Notes on Contributors
Introduction
Catrinel Tromp, Robert J. Sternberg and Don Ambrose
1 Transdisciplinary Examples of Creative Insights That Can Arise from Constraints
Don Ambrose
2 Domains Constrain Creativity
John Baer
3 Creativity in Terms of Constraints: Categories and Characteristics
Paul Joseph Barnett and James C. Kaufman
4 The Write Tool for the Job? How Digital Creativity Support Tools Can Also Constrain Creativity
Michael Mose Biskjaer and Peter Dalsgaard
5 Constraints in Creativity: Their Role and Use to Reach Creative (Design) Solutions
Nathalie Bonnardel and Agnès Lellouche-Gounon
6 Solving the Paradox of Constraints in Creativity: Uncovering the Conditions of Constraint Generativity with C-K Design Theory
Pascal Le Masson, Armand Hatchuel and Benoit Weil
7 Diversity and Constraints: A Multi-Level Model of Team Diversity and Constraint Identification and Management in Creative Efforts
Kelsey E. Medeiros and Roni Reiter-Palmon
8 Aleatory Creativity: The Role of Random Constraints
Eric Rietzschel and Diana Rus
9 The Illusion of Freedom: Towards an Embedded Notion of Constraints in Creativity
Wendy Ross, Vlad Glveanu and Anthony Chemero
10 Combinatorial Creativity and Its Constraints: Why the Combinatorial Explosion Threatens Not
Dean Keith Simonton
11 WICS: The Super (Necessary) Constraints of Creativity, Intelligence, and Wisdom Synthesized
Robert J. Sternberg
12 Constraints and Templates for Starting and Sustaining Creativity
Patricia D. Stokes
13 Multum in Parvo: Creativity from Constraints
Catrinel Tromp
Index
All interested in improving their creativity and understanding the role of constraints in creativity and innovation.