Moving Away from Sometimes, Some of Us, Somewhere: A Sociocultural Approach to Creativity

Abstract

Creativity has long been misunderstood as the result of individual difference - associated with genius, the arts and personality traits. Scientific inquiry, in fields such as expertise-based research, cognitive research, evolutionary research and psychometric research, has disproven some of these long held "everyday understandings" about the creative process, as well as given us avenues to identify creative traits and processes. However, since these are all individual based theories, they have also reinforced our "everyday understanding" of the creative genius. Sociocultural theory offers a different unit of analysis that includes the dynamic interplay of the social, cultural and historical aspects of development. From this viewpoint, creativity is the foundation of all human development, as it takes into account who people are and who they are becoming. As researchers, practitioners and, simply humans who are committed to change and growth, a shift in our conceptions of creativity is necessary for further development. The arts have long held creativity the standard, but instead of assuming that creative people are attracted to the arts, this paper identifies ways of being, knowing and doing that the arts promote - creating individuals who have particular dispositions deemed to be "creative" as a result of their participation in these practices.