The 2021 study "Creativity myths: Prevalence and correlates of misconceptions on creativity" tries to separate facts from fiction on what creativity is and what it is not.
Psychology Today summarizes the 15 Myths About Creativity covered in that study.
This study examined the prevalence of known creativity myths across six countries from diverse cultural backgrounds and explored why some people believe in them more than others. Results revealed persistent, widespread biases in the public conception of creativity, such as attributing creative achievements to spontaneity and chance rather than persistence and expertise.
The researchers looked through the existing scientific literature to identify 15 creativity falsehoods, which they divided into four categories:Creative Definition Myths
- Creativity cannot be measured
- Creativity is essentially the same as art
- Creative ideas are naturally a good thing
- Most people would not be able to distinguish abstract art from abstract children's drawings
Creative Process Myths
- Creative accomplishments are usually the result of a sudden inspiration
- Creative thinking mostly happens in the right hemisphere of the brain
- Creativity tends to be a solitary activity
- Creativity is a rare gift
- People have a certain amount of creativity and cannot do much to change it
- Children are more creative than adults
- Mental health disorders usually accompany exceptional creativity
Creative Stimulation Myths
- People get more creative ideas under the influence of alcohol or marijuana
- Long-term schooling harms the creativity of children
- Brainstorming in a group generates more ideas than if people were thinking by themselves
- One is most creative when with total freedom in one's actions
First, relating creativity to childlike behavior and chance implies low appreciation for the hard work behind creative achievements. Second, it externalizes relevant factors in the development of creativity. Emphasizing the role of inspiration rather than active engagement may undermine creativity by suggesting we need to wait until creativity hits us with a ‘Eureka’-experience.
The authors contrast the myths with the following
- To be considered creative, something has to be both novel and useful or appropriate
- Teachers appreciate the idea of creativity but not necessarily creative pupils
- Whether or not something is viewed as creative depends on zeitgeist and social norms
- Creativity is an important part of mathematical thinking
- Creative ideas are typically based on remembered information that is combined in new ways
- The first idea someone has is often not the best one
- Alpha activity (10Hz) in the brain plays an important role in creative thought
- Creative people are usually more open to new experiences
- Creative people are usually more intelligent
- Achieving a creative breakthrough in a domain (i.e. publishing a successful novel) typically requires at least 10 years of deliberate practice and work
- Men and women generally do not differ in their creativity
- A man's creativity increases his attractiveness to potential partners
- When stuck on a problem, it is helpful to continue working on it after taking a break
- Positive moods help people get creative ideas
- Getting rewarded for creative performance at work increases one’s creativity
Source: Creativity myths: Prevalence and correlates of misconceptions on creativity - ScienceDirect
Appendix B (.xls) references the research papers backing their claims.
The article Top Ten Myths About Creativity (futurefocusedlearning.net) lists 10 Creativity Myths mostly in line with the study's findings:
- Creativity belongs to the geniuses
- Creativity is making something from nothing
- Creativity can’t be forced
- Mental illness causes creativity
- Drugs make you more creative
- To be creative you need to be free
- Creativity belongs to the arts
- Creativity is a solitary activity
- Extrinsic motivation is detrimental to creativity
- To explain creativity is to damage it
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