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Some of the stages of creativity thinking are: 1. Preparation 2. Incubation 3. Illumination 4. Verification!
This is also a controlled thinking in which the creative thinker whether artist, writer or a scientist is trying to create something new. It involves characteristics of both reasoning and imagination. Creative thinking is a process in which the individual generates an original, unusual and productive solution to a problem.
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It is defined as personal, imaginative thinking which produces a new, novel and useful solution. Unlike ordinary solution to problems, creative solutions are the new one to the effect that other people have not thought before.
The product of creative thinking may be a new and unique way of conceptualizing the world around us. The emphasis in creative thinking is on the word ‘new’. In human beings we find two kinds of productive abilities – the convergent and divergent abilities.
Convergent abilities are used to bring together otherwise divergent things. Divergent production abilities are those which are not guided by rules or conventions, but capable of generating new solutions to a problem. Divergent production abilities are particularly important in creative thinking.
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Creative thinking involves four stages:
1. Preparation:
In this stage the thinker formulates the problem and collects the facts and materials considered necessary for finding new solutions. Many times the problem cannot be solved even after days, weeks or months of concentrated efforts. Failing to solve the problem, the thinker turns away from it initiating next stage.
2. Incubation:
During this period some of the ideas that were interfering with the solution will tend to fade. The overt activity and sometimes even thinking about the problem is absent in this stage. But the unconscious thought process involved in creative thinking is at work during this period.
Apparently the thinker will be busy in other activities like reading literature or playing games, etc. Inspite of these activities the contemplation about finding a solution to problem will be going on in the mind.
3. Illumination:
Following the period of incubation the creative ideas occur suddenly. Consequently the obscure thing becomes clear. This sudden flash of solution is known as illumination and is similar to ‘aha (eureka)’ experience. For example, Archimedes found solution to the crown problem.
4. Verification:
Though the solution is found in illumination stage, it is necessary to verify whether that solution is correct or not. Hence in this last stage evaluation of the solution is done. If the solution is not satisfactory the thinker will go back to creative process from the beginning.
If it is satisfactory, the same will be accepted and if necessary, minor modification may also be made in solution.