3 Ways to see how creative you really are.

Without change there is no innovation, creativity, or incentive for improvement. Those who initiate change will have a better opportunity to manage the change that is inevitable.
William Pollard

Creativity isn’t the easiest thing to test…… as in it’s pretty darn hard to make it fit onto a scantron sheet. However, there are accurate test out there, that can access creativity, and are fun take…. well at least I think so.

 

Don’t be discouraged if you struggle with these , remember just like anything else, you get better at the things you practice. ( I feel guilty writing this right now, because I’ve been slacking on my pushups. )

Test nubmer 1: Alternative Uses

Created by J. P. Guilford

What it does: the goal is to stretch those creative muscles by giving you 2 minutes to come up with alternative uses for everyday objects.

For example“paper clip” uses:

Note when this test was given to kindergarten students, 98% scored in the genius level, when given to adults, the number fell off a cliff down to 2%

Okay, back to different things that you can do with a paperclip.

• Hold papers together

• Cufflinks

• Earrings

• Imitation mini-trombone

• Thing you use to push that emergency restart button on your router

• Keeping headphones from getting tangled up

• Bookmark

• maybe it’s giant and becomes a sculpture

• hair accessory

• way to hang ornaments

• stress relief ( play with in your pocket)

• use as wings for a bird or an airplane

• table legs

• necklace

• chain link fence

• and so on…….

The test measures divergent thinking ( basically means that you are able to come up with several ideas/ solutions for one given problem)  across four sub-categories:

• Fluency – how many uses you can come up with

• Originality – how uncommon those uses are (e.g. “router restarter” is more uncommon than “holding papers together”)

• Flexibility – how many areas your answers cover (earrings, necklace and hairpin are all accessories, so they fit into one area)

• Elaboration – level of detail in responses; meaning, chain link fence is a much cooler idea than using it as a bookmark.

 

It’s your turn…. choose an object from the list below… set your timer for two minutes and go for it…

PS: if you have kids, have them give this a try too. I’m willing to bet, that the younger your kid is, the better they will do.

– brick

– mug

– pillow

– safety pin

– fork

 

Test number 2 : Incomplete Figure

You can thank the lovely psychologist Ellis Paul Torrance for this one.

This test is exactly what it sounds like is. You start with the images below, and it’s your job to turn them into something.

 

Try it yourself:

 

You might be getting anxious already because you know that I’m going to tell you to draw.. and you’re sitting there telling me that you don’t know how to draw.

Well, we’re not going to get into that argument today, but you can do this test, because you do know how to draw lines and shapes, and that’s all it is.

 

So, print out the images, grab your favorite pen, pencil, or marker, give yourself 5 minutes, and start making marks.

 

Looking to score the most points possible? Then your drawing needs to have uncommon subject matter, implied stories, humor, and original perspective.

Test Number 3 Riddles

Riddles ask a question, that doesn’t seem to have an answer….. suddenly….. the answer arrives in a flash of insight. ( that’s called illumination in the creative process)

Or …………..no strike of insight arrives, you and start posting the riddle onFacebookk, hoping that someone will enlighten you.

Psychologists use riddles to measure creative problem solving potential, or convergent thinking ………. thinking that brings together information focussed on solving a problem (especially solving problems that have a single correct solution).

Try it yourself:

You can find riddles, and answers here

 

Quatro: Remote Associates

The Remote Associates Test takes three unrelated words, such as “Falling – Actor – Dust,” and asks you to come up with a fourth word that connects all three words. In this case, the answer is “star,” as in “falling star,” “movie star” and “stardust.”

Try it yourself:

paint…. doll…. hat     : answer at bottom of the page

stool – powder- ball :

call – pay – line :

 

Not feeling so hot about your creative thinking skills? Join the FREE 30 Day Creative Process challenge. You’ll get one quick prompt delivered to your inbox each day.

Creativity is just connecting things. When you ask creative people how they did something, they feel a little guilty because they didn’t really do it, they just saw something. It seemed obvious to them after a while. That’s because they were able to connect experiences they’ve had and synthesize new things.

Steve Jobs

 

1. house          2. foot            3. phone