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What is creativity?

Creativity involves the ability to develop new ideas or utilize objects or information in novel ways.

This article explores what creativity is and when it is most likely to happen.

Creative children drawing on wall

Michael H / DigitalVision / Getty Images

What Is Creativity?

Studying creativity can be a tricky process.

Two of the primary components of creativity include:

When Does Creativity Happen?

Types of Creativity

Experts also tend to distinguish between different types of creativity.

Csikszentmihalyi suggests thatcreative peopletend to possess are a variety of traits that contribute to their innovative thinking.

They tend to seek novelty and enjoy trying new things, meeting new people, and considering different perspectives.

However, other personality traits and characteristics can also play a role in creativity.

As Thomas Edison famously suggested, genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration.

You cant use up creativity.

The more you use it, the more you have," she suggested.

The frontal cortex of the brain is responsible for many of the functions that play a part in creativity.

The “big five” are the broad categories of traits that make up personality.

The five dimensions are openness, conscientiousness, extroversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism.

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