Outsight

Restoring the Role of Objects in Creative Problem Solving

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The way we understand creativity in psychology is built on a fundamental asymmetry between people and objects: people have thoughts, intentions, and the ability to act, while objects lack these qualities. However, despite this distinction, objects that are created communicate with their creator. During the process of creation, objects being formed by the creator take on certain characteristics and behave in certain ways, resulting in a kind of conversation between the person working on solving a problem and the results physically produced. In essence, while the traditional view focuses on the person's thoughts and intentions as the driving force of creativity, the dialogue between the creative individual and the evolving product of their work is overlooked. This Element proposes a methodology and theoretical vocabulary that restore the role of objects in the dynamic unfolding of creative problem solving. This title is also available as Open Access on Cambridge Core.