HOW DO YOU SEE THE WORLD?

What is it about a creative work such as a painting or piece of music that elicits our awe and admiration? Is it the thrill of being shown something new, something different, something the artist saw that we did not? As Pablo Picasso put it, "others have seen what is and asked why. I have seen what could be and asked why not". The idea that some people see more possibilities than others is central to the concept of creativity.

Creativity is a multifaceted and awe-inspiring human trait that allows individuals to think outside the box, generate novel ideas, and bring forth original expressions. Creative people often possess a unique perspective on the world, perceiving and interpreting their surroundings in distinctive ways. By understanding these distinctive lenses, we can gain insights into the creative process and foster creativity in various aspects of life.

ENHANCED PERCEPTION AND SENSITIVITY

Research published in the Journal of Research in Personality suggests that creative people don't just bring a different perspective to things, they genuinely see things differently to the average individual. They tend to have heightened perception and sensory sensitivity, enabling them to notice details and patterns that others may overlook. They have a remarkable ability to observe and absorb information from their environment. This keen perception allows them to notice the subtleties, textures, colours, and nuances of the world around them, providing a rich source of inspiration for their creative endeavours.

The findings of a study on binocular rivalry in which different images are presented to each eye simultaneously, report that the basic visual perception of creative people is fundamentally different to the visual experiences of the average person.

Furthermore, creative people often exhibit greater sensitivity to sensory stimuli, such as sounds, smells, tastes, and textures. They may be more attuned to the emotional impact of sensory experiences, allowing them to draw inspiration from a wide range of sensations. This heightened sensory awareness fuels their creative output and enhances their ability to create art forms.

DIVERGENT THINKING AND MULTIPLE PERSPECTIVES

Psychologists often measure creativity using divergent thinking tasks. These require an individual to generate as many uses as possible for mundane daily objects. People who can see numerous and diverse uses for an object are rated as more creative than people who can only think of a few common uses. The aspect of our personality that appears to drive our creativity is called openness to experience, or openness. Openness best predicts performance on divergent thinking tasks. The curiosity to examine things from all angles may lead people high in openness to see more than the average person, to discover complex possibilities lying dormant in familiar environments and to explore alternative solutions to problems, opening up a vast landscape of creative potential.

By embracing various viewpoints and considering alternative narratives, creative people can uncover hidden connections, identify novel approaches, and create fresh interpretations of the world.

EMBRACING AMBIGUITY AND COMPLEXITY

Creative individuals tend to embrace ambiguity and complexity, seeing them as sources of inspiration rather than obstacles. They are comfortable with the inherent uncertainties and contradictions that exist in the world. Instead of seeking definitive answers, they enjoy the exploration of paradoxes and contradictions, recognising that they can lead to breakthrough insights and original ideas. They recognise that reality is multifaceted and interconnected, and they thrive on unravelling its complexity. This understanding allows them to create works that capture the depth and intricacy of human experiences.

NOTICING PATTERNS AND MAKING CONNECTIONS

Creative people possess a remarkable ability to perceive patterns and make connections between seemingly unrelated ideas, experiences, and concepts. They are skilled at recognising similarities, analogies, and metaphors, allowing them to bridge disparate domains and generate fresh insights.

Their ability to find hidden patterns and create novel connections often stems from a knowledge base acquired through extensive observation and exploration. By synthesising diverse information and experiences, creative individuals can uncover novel associations and generate ideas that transcend traditional boundaries.

EMBRACING CURIOSITY AND WONDER

Creative individuals approach the world with a sense of curiosity and wonder, maintaining a childlike fascination with the world around them. This innate curiosity fuels their exploration of different domains, disciplines, and cultures. They actively seek out novel experiences, engage in diverse activities, and immerse themselves in unfamiliar environments. This insatiable thirst for discovery enables them to gather a wealth of inspiration and broaden their creative perspectives.

SEEING THINGS THAT OTHERS MISS

We are constantly surrounded by sensory input. The mind has to choose what to focus on and filter out the rest of the stimuli. Creative people seem to have more flexibility and let through more information into consciousness than the average person.

In the well-known perceptual phenomenon inattentional blindness, some people are so focused concentrating on one thing that they completely fail to see something else going on in the background. In a study on inattentional blindness, it was found that more visual information breaks through into conscious perception for people high in openness or creativity, who see the things that others screen out.

Creative individuals possess a unique lens through which they perceive and interpret the world. Their heightened perception, divergent thinking, comfort with ambiguity, pattern recognition, and curiosity contribute to their distinct perspective. By understanding how creative people see the world differently, we can appreciate the richness and diversity of human creativity. Moreover, we can cultivate these qualities within ourselves, fostering creativity in various aspects of our lives. By embracing these unique lenses, we can unlock new possibilities, inspire innovation, and enrich our experiences in the world.

Many great artists and writers have said that creativity is simply the ability to connect the dots that others might never think to connect. In the words of Steve Jobs: "Creativity is just connecting things. When you ask creative people how they did something, they feel a little guilty because they didn't really do it, they just saw something. It seemed obvious to them after a while. That's because they were able to connect experiences they've had and synthesize new things."