Psychology of Creativity
Creativity has a Relationship to Psychology You Might Not Know About
Creativity and Mental Health
Creativity has been linked to both mental health and illness (Sawyer, 2006). How can this be? What is the relationship between creativity and mental health? I believe the relationship of creativity to mental illness and mental wellness can be explained by the creative process especially in creative individuals.
Creativity and Mental Illness
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The relationship between creativity and mental illness has been recognized since the time of the ancient Greeks. Aristotle said, “No great genius has ever been without some madness” (Anderegg, 2001). Today, there are an unusually large percentage of creative individuals with mood disorders: as high as 50% in the visual arts (Lee, 2007).
Giles (2006) also supported personality theory of creative individuals. Giles (2006) found that creativity was more closely related to over-inclusive thinking styles are a potential link between creative people and certain personality traits like neuroticism. Carson (2001) also found a strong connection between creativity and related personality traits. Anderegg (2001) correlated mood disorders with creativity. He reported an increase in creativity with an increase in bipolar symptoms. Anderegg hypothesized that, the inability of bipolar individuals in his study to differentiate between the stages of bipolar disorder resulted in higher rates of creativity: manic and depressive phases of bipolar disorder were merged into one phase of intense creative energy. Richards, Kinney, Lunde and Benet (1988) also looked at the relationship between creativity and bipolar individuals. Andreason and Powers (1975) also found first degree relatives of writers were more likely to both be creative and have affective disorders. This suggests a biological connection between higher levels of creativity and mood disorders. |
Clinical measures of Neuroticism, Dysthemia, and cyclothemia were also positively correlated with creativity measures (Strong, Nowakowska, Santosa, Wang, Kraemer and Ketter, 2006). In their study, Strong and colleagues measured levels of creativity in mood disorder patients.
Higher levels of creativity have also been found in depressed populations (Kaufman, 2002). He found that clinically depressed mood disorder patients are linked to higher levels of creativity as well. According to O’Reilly, Dunbar and Bentall (2000) divergent thinking as well as unusual experiences is experienced in a higher frequency by mood disorder patients, as well as patient suffering from psychotic symptoms. In other words, there are personality traits shared across symptomologic creative individuals. A few studies look at the creative process in mood disordered individuals. Collectively, it suggests introspection during the creative process as an important common factor in Creative People and mood disordered personality traits. Bruniori, Magnani and Raggi (2007), Verhaeghen, Joorman and Khan (2005). Together, research on creativity and mental illness do two important things: first, they solidify the relationship of specific symptoms with creative personality; second, they highlight the need for a creative processes for those creative people. |
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Creative PracticeCarl Jung was one of the first believers in this healing process of creativity in art and art therapy. He used a drawing technique called the drawing of mandalas to reduce trauma symptoms (Henderson, 2007). According to Jung, the drawing of mandalas had a calming effect on the participant and facilitated psychic integration in a therapeutic setting. Henderson (2007) repeated Jung’s study using PTSD patients and replicated Jung’s findings of the benefits of mandala drawings (Henderson, 2007).
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The Science of Creativity
In addition to Jung’s early empirical study, the benefits of the creative process in terms of art therapy have been noted in case studies. Bohart (1999) reported art therapy techniques led to better communication through symbols in therapeutic settings. According to Bohart, symbols are a more effective method of communication than words because the world is experienced in symbols and not words. Bohart also stated that art therapy is especially useful for creative individuals. This is because creativity is related to intuitive knowing from experiential, visual and non-conceptual knowledge such as aesthetics, and to the expression of this knowledge without words such as in visual arts. Bohart presents examples of intuition and symbols in creative individuals in art therapy through the lens of constructivism. Constructivism assumes that we are constantly building our reality through our experience of the world through our senses. Specifically, Bohart describes the case of an artist named David who uses visual art as symbolic communication to detect unnoticed patterns of behavior in therapy. David also uses visual arts to better describe and understand his experiences and revise maladaptive behavior patterns.
Creativity Benefits
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Gedo (1990) utilized art therapy techniques to give meaning to experiences. With the case study of an artist named James Ensor, Gedo illustrated the use of different visual stylistic techniques to emphasize different moods. These techniques were in turn used to confine and explain important experiences. This supports the Jungian notion that visual characteristics are representational of inner cognitions and feelings (Gedo, 1990). In his study, Gedo defined two styles of visual therapeutic artwork: content specific, and not content specific. Content specific work refers to work where the visual content directly relates to a meaningful experience or feeling to the artist. Not content specific work refers to work that does not directly relate or refer to specific experiences or feelings. Speiser and Speiser (2007) found that visual arts enhance communication and expression for working through conflict. Turetsky (2003) also used art psychotherapy as an effective method to help cope with the mourning process during midlife transitions. Together these studies demonstrate the function of creative processes as seen in art therapy techniques to increase mood in times of crisis and conflict.
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Creativity Research
Art therapy serves as a method of psychological insight for artists (Spaniol, 2001). While this study supports the use of art therapy as a way to gain personal insight and understanding, others show better understanding of the self can be accomplished through imagery (Lee, 2007). Lee (2007) also looked at the benefits of the creative process in people with mood disorders. According to personal interviews of participants in his study, over one half of mood disorder patients found creative activities helpful in reducing mood disorder symptoms (Lee, 2007).
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Creativity MattersThere are important additional benefits of the creative process for creative individuals. Carson (2001) linked creativity with mental wellness, especially in creative personality types.
Another important benefit of the creative process for creative individuals was described by Csikszentimihalyi (1996). Csikszentimihalyi described the intense gratification, sense of investment and therapeutic nature of creative processes as “flow.” He further explained the more invested a person is in the creative effort, the greater the flow, and therefore the greater the therapeutic benefit. Positive effects of creative people working within their creative medium include enthusiasm, energy, self-confidence, increased mental association, flowing of thoughts, euphoria, increased concentration, well-being, rapid thinking and sensory awareness (Lee, 2007). |
Creativity in Creative People
Creativity has several links to mental wellness through the creative process: calmness and an overall increased mood, enhanced communication, understanding and insight, emotional exploration, a reduction of depressive symptoms, and new meaning to old experiences. Specifically, creative personality types experience two added benefits of the creative process: first, investment, fulfillment and intense gratification characteristic of “flow,” and second, the additional protective factor against depressive symptomotology from a larger working memory.
Through extensive research in the field of creativity, creativity has been linked to both mental health and illness (Sawyer, 2006). How can the relationship between mental health and creativity be so dichotomous? The link between creativity and mental wellness and mental illness is explained by the creative process as a behavioral adaptation for creative individuals with mental illness. This has important implications in terms of the relationship of mental illness as compared to mental wellness in clinical populations, as well as how changes in negative mood states can occur in non-clinical populations.
Through extensive research in the field of creativity, creativity has been linked to both mental health and illness (Sawyer, 2006). How can the relationship between mental health and creativity be so dichotomous? The link between creativity and mental wellness and mental illness is explained by the creative process as a behavioral adaptation for creative individuals with mental illness. This has important implications in terms of the relationship of mental illness as compared to mental wellness in clinical populations, as well as how changes in negative mood states can occur in non-clinical populations.
Creative People Need to Create
This is truly a summation of my own research into creativity, mental health, mental wellness, and their relationship to each other. I have also run my own interventions in experimental settings, with my own controls, multi factor analysis and more to confirm my hypotheses (which were strongly confirmed!). What I want to share with you is that this research is the foundation to my 3-part philosophy for healing:
- You have a Creative Personality- Understand it
- Understand the relationship of your Creative Personality to your Mental Health
- Establish and support your mental health with a regular creative practice
Changing the Lives of Creative People
This is a simple, yet life-changing formula, founded in years of research and practice. I am passionate about changing the lives of Creative People! If you are inspired or moved by what you have read here, or if you have questions about any of this material, I would love to connect with you. Here are 3 steps you can take right now, today, on the road to Creative Health:
Investing in yourself is the surest investment you can make. Let’s talk more about how to change your life, today!
(c) Creatively, LLC 2023
www.creativelyllc.com
- Learn more about your Creative Personality
- Book an Initial Free Consultation
- Learn about and book one of my 3 prepared Coaching Packages
Investing in yourself is the surest investment you can make. Let’s talk more about how to change your life, today!
(c) Creatively, LLC 2023
www.creativelyllc.com
References
Amabile, T.M. (1982). Social psychology of creativity: A consensual assessment
technique, Personality Processes and Individual Differences, 43(5), 997-1013.
Amabile, T.M. (1993). What does a theory of creativity require?, Psychological Inquiry,
4(2), 179-237.
Anderegg, D. (2001). Manic differentiation and creative process, Psychoanalytic
Psychology, 18(2), 365-379.
Andreason, N.J. & Powers, P.S. (1975). Creativity and psychosis: An examination of
conceptual style, Archives of General Psychiatry, 32, 70-73.
Bohart, A.C. (1999). Intuition and creativity in psychotherapy, Journal of Constructivist
Psychology, 12, 287-311.
Brunori, L., Magnani, G. & Raggi, C. (2007). Special selection: Supervision between
rituals: Creativity and the development of the reflective function, Group Analysis, (40)2, 216-235.
Carson, S.H. (2001). An exploration of cognitive features and vulnerability to psychosis
in creative individuals, Dissertation Abstracts International, 62(4), 2104.
Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1997). Creativity: Flow and the psychology of discovery and
invention. New York: First HarperPerennial.
Eisdell, N. (2005). A conversational model of art therapy, Psychology and
Psychotherapy: Theory, Research and Practice, 78, 1-19.
Gedo, J.E. (1990). More on the healing power of art: The case of James Ensor, Creativity
Research Journal, 3(1), 33-57.
Giles, St J.B., Hemsley, D.R., Pavelis, C. & Corr, P.J. (2006). Personality, creativity and
latent inhibition, European Journal of Personality, 20, 107-122.
Henderson, P., Rosen, D., & Mascaro, N. (2007). Empirical study on the healing nature
of mandalas, Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity and the Arts, 1(3), 148-154.
Kaufman, J. C. (2002). Creativity and confidence: Price of achievement?, American
Psychologist, 57(5), 375-376.
Kaufman, J.C., & Sexton, J.D. (2006). Why doesn’t the writing cure help poets?, Review
of General Psychology, 10(3), 268-282.
Kaufman, J.C. & Sternberg, R.J. (2007). Creativity, Change, 55-58.
Lee, J. (2007). Melancholy, the muse and mental health promotion- An analysis of the
complex relationship between mood disorder and creativity, developing a specific model of mental health promotion: Six key themes, International Journal of Mental Health Promotion, 9(1), 4-16.
Montgomery, D., Hodges, P.A. & Kaufman, J.S. (2004). An exploratory study of the
relationship between mood states and creativity self perceptions, Creativity Research Journal, 16(2&3), 341-344.
O’Reilly, T., Dunbar, R. & Bentall, R. (2000). Schizotypy and creativity: An
evolutionary connection?, Personality and Individual Differences, 31, 1067-1078.
Richards, R., Kinney D.K., Lunde, I., & Benet, M. (1988). Creativity in manic-
depressives, cyclothemes, their normal relatives, and control subjects, Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 97(3) 281-288.
Rothenberg, A. (1990). Creativity and madness: New findings and old stereotypes.
Maryland: Johns Hopkins University Press.
Sawyer, R. K. (2006). Explaining creativity: The science of human innovation. New
York: Oxford University Press Inc.
Spaniol, S. (2001). Art and mental illness: Where is the link?, The Arts in
Psychotherapy, 28(4), 221-231.
Speiser, V.M. & Speiser, P. (2007). An arts approach to working with conflict, Journal
of Humanistic Psychology, 47(3), 361-366.
Sternberg, R. J. (1999). Handbook of Creativity. New York: Cambridge University Press.
Stokes, P.D. & Fisher, D. (2005). Selection, constraints, and creativity case studies: Max
Beckmann and Philip Guston, Creativity Research Journal, 17(2&3), 283-291.
Strong, C.M., Nowakowska, C., Santosa, C.M., Wang, P.W., Kraemer, H.C., & Ketter,
T.A. (2006). Temperament- creativity relationships in mood disorder patients, healthy controls and highly creative individuals, Journal of Affective Disorders, 100(1-3), 41-48.
Turetsky, C.J. (2003). Development of an art psychotherapy model for the prevention
and treatment of unresolved grief during midlife, Art Therapy: Journal of the American Art Therapy Association, 20(3), 148-156.
Verhaeghen, P., Joorman, J., & Khan, R. (2005). Why we sing the blues: The relation
between self-reflective rumination, mood and creativity, Emotion, 5(2), 226-232.
Amabile, T.M. (1982). Social psychology of creativity: A consensual assessment
technique, Personality Processes and Individual Differences, 43(5), 997-1013.
Amabile, T.M. (1993). What does a theory of creativity require?, Psychological Inquiry,
4(2), 179-237.
Anderegg, D. (2001). Manic differentiation and creative process, Psychoanalytic
Psychology, 18(2), 365-379.
Andreason, N.J. & Powers, P.S. (1975). Creativity and psychosis: An examination of
conceptual style, Archives of General Psychiatry, 32, 70-73.
Bohart, A.C. (1999). Intuition and creativity in psychotherapy, Journal of Constructivist
Psychology, 12, 287-311.
Brunori, L., Magnani, G. & Raggi, C. (2007). Special selection: Supervision between
rituals: Creativity and the development of the reflective function, Group Analysis, (40)2, 216-235.
Carson, S.H. (2001). An exploration of cognitive features and vulnerability to psychosis
in creative individuals, Dissertation Abstracts International, 62(4), 2104.
Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1997). Creativity: Flow and the psychology of discovery and
invention. New York: First HarperPerennial.
Eisdell, N. (2005). A conversational model of art therapy, Psychology and
Psychotherapy: Theory, Research and Practice, 78, 1-19.
Gedo, J.E. (1990). More on the healing power of art: The case of James Ensor, Creativity
Research Journal, 3(1), 33-57.
Giles, St J.B., Hemsley, D.R., Pavelis, C. & Corr, P.J. (2006). Personality, creativity and
latent inhibition, European Journal of Personality, 20, 107-122.
Henderson, P., Rosen, D., & Mascaro, N. (2007). Empirical study on the healing nature
of mandalas, Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity and the Arts, 1(3), 148-154.
Kaufman, J. C. (2002). Creativity and confidence: Price of achievement?, American
Psychologist, 57(5), 375-376.
Kaufman, J.C., & Sexton, J.D. (2006). Why doesn’t the writing cure help poets?, Review
of General Psychology, 10(3), 268-282.
Kaufman, J.C. & Sternberg, R.J. (2007). Creativity, Change, 55-58.
Lee, J. (2007). Melancholy, the muse and mental health promotion- An analysis of the
complex relationship between mood disorder and creativity, developing a specific model of mental health promotion: Six key themes, International Journal of Mental Health Promotion, 9(1), 4-16.
Montgomery, D., Hodges, P.A. & Kaufman, J.S. (2004). An exploratory study of the
relationship between mood states and creativity self perceptions, Creativity Research Journal, 16(2&3), 341-344.
O’Reilly, T., Dunbar, R. & Bentall, R. (2000). Schizotypy and creativity: An
evolutionary connection?, Personality and Individual Differences, 31, 1067-1078.
Richards, R., Kinney D.K., Lunde, I., & Benet, M. (1988). Creativity in manic-
depressives, cyclothemes, their normal relatives, and control subjects, Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 97(3) 281-288.
Rothenberg, A. (1990). Creativity and madness: New findings and old stereotypes.
Maryland: Johns Hopkins University Press.
Sawyer, R. K. (2006). Explaining creativity: The science of human innovation. New
York: Oxford University Press Inc.
Spaniol, S. (2001). Art and mental illness: Where is the link?, The Arts in
Psychotherapy, 28(4), 221-231.
Speiser, V.M. & Speiser, P. (2007). An arts approach to working with conflict, Journal
of Humanistic Psychology, 47(3), 361-366.
Sternberg, R. J. (1999). Handbook of Creativity. New York: Cambridge University Press.
Stokes, P.D. & Fisher, D. (2005). Selection, constraints, and creativity case studies: Max
Beckmann and Philip Guston, Creativity Research Journal, 17(2&3), 283-291.
Strong, C.M., Nowakowska, C., Santosa, C.M., Wang, P.W., Kraemer, H.C., & Ketter,
T.A. (2006). Temperament- creativity relationships in mood disorder patients, healthy controls and highly creative individuals, Journal of Affective Disorders, 100(1-3), 41-48.
Turetsky, C.J. (2003). Development of an art psychotherapy model for the prevention
and treatment of unresolved grief during midlife, Art Therapy: Journal of the American Art Therapy Association, 20(3), 148-156.
Verhaeghen, P., Joorman, J., & Khan, R. (2005). Why we sing the blues: The relation
between self-reflective rumination, mood and creativity, Emotion, 5(2), 226-232.
