Creative Thought: An Investigation of Conceptual Structures and Processes - Softcover

Ward, Thomas B.; Smith, Steven M.; Vaid, Jyotsna

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1557989060 ISBN 13: 9781557989062

Publisher: Amer Psychological Assn, 1997

Synopsis

Creativity is a powerful and elusive force. It brings about scientific, technological, and artistic accomplishment, and it allows us to adapt to changes in our lives, to solve problems, and to resolve conflicts. Little wonder, then, that cognitive psychologists have long been fascinated by the mysteries of creative thought: Where do people get new ideas? How are they inspired to make new discoveries? How is old knowledge mapped onto novel situations, and how are old, mistaken ways of thinking replaced by innovative perspectives? Creative Thought examines these questions in light of the most important new research on the nature of creativity, with an emphasis on its generative aspects -- that is, on how old concepts are used to generate new ideas. This is a unique focus, since most works on creativity have emphasized its receptive aspects. The chapters cover four major areas of study: conceptual combination, conceptual expansion, metaphor, and analogy.

About this title

About the Author

Thomas B. Ward lives in College Station, Texas, and is affiliated with Texas A&M University. Steven M. Smith lives in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and is affiliated with St. Mary's University.

Edition details

• Publisher: Amer Psychological Assn
• Publication date: 1997
• ISBN 10: 1557989060
• ISBN 13: 9781557989062
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 567