Publications

Publication details [#10395]

Ward, Thomas B., Steven M. Smith and Jyotsna Vaid. 1997. Creative Thought: An Investigation of Conceptual Structures and Processes. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. xv, 567 pp.
Publication type
Book – monograph
Publication language
English
ISBN
1557984042(hardcover)

Abstract

Where do people get new ideas? How are they inspired to make new discoveries? How is old knowledge mapped onto novel situations, and how are old, mistaken ways of thinking replaced by innovative perspectives? 'Creative Thought' examines these questions in light of new research on the nature of creativity, with an emphasis on its generative aspects - that is, on how old concepts are used to generate new ideas. This is a unique focus, since most works on creativity have emphasized its receptive aspects. (From the preface) As in most other areas of cognitive psychology, research on concepts and categories has provided a wealth of information about the more receptive aspects of cognition (e.g., how people classify category instances) but has been less systematic in assessing the more generative aspects (e.g., how people use their concepts to develop something new). Here, the contributors to this volume focus on the latter with the hope of stimulating additional work on the important topic. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2002 APA, all rights reserved) (Publisher Book Description)