Ode and Celebration of Divergent Thinking.

Divergent Thinking Abilities

creative thinking and behaviors

Adapted and modified from the works of Williams, F. E.

Creative production is often characterized by the divergent nature of human thought and action. Divergence is usually indicated by the ability to generate many, or more complex or complicated, ideas from one idea or from simple ideas or triggers. Traditionally the eight elements below are ones commonly thought of as inherent elements of creative production, as well as attributes associated with creative problem solving abilities.

Fluency � The ability to generate a number of ideas so that there is an increase of possible solutions or related products.

Flexibility - The ability to produce different categories or perceptions whereby there are a variety of different ideas about the same problem or thing.

Elaboration � The ability to add to, embellish, or build off of an idea or product.

Originality � The ability to create fresh, unique, unusual, totally new, or extremely different ideas or products

Complexity � The ability to conceptualize difficult, intricate, many layered or multifaceted ideas or products.

Risk-taking � The willingness to be courageous, adventuresome, daring -- trying new things or taking risks in order to stand apart.

Imagination � The ability to dream up, invent, or to see, to think, to conceptualize new ideas or products � to be ingenious.

Curiosity � The trait of exhibiting probing behaviors, asking and posing questions, searching, being able to look deeper into ideas, and the wanting to know more about something.