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Open Access Thesis

Keywords

Creative ability; Intellect;

Abstract

The purpose of the present research study was twofold. The first purpose was to determine the relationship between creativity and intelligence when intelligence was assessed by a group test (CAT-V) and an individual test (WISC-Rt V). The second purpose was to examine the threshold hypothesis, which states that below a critical IQ level, usually 120, the two constructs appear to be positively and moderately related. Above this level, the correlation between the two constructs lessens. Theoretical and statistical foundations regarding the relationship between the two constructs were addressed. The theoretical model addressed divergent/convergent thinking properties. Creativity was considered a, divergent thinking process; intelligence a convergent thinking process. It was postulated that the two processes represent very different skills that cannot be equally present in the same person, nor equally assessed by the same test. When testing the relationship between the two thinking processes, one would arrive at low correlations because the two processes are distinctly different types of mental production. The statistical model dealt with the methodology of the studies reviewed. Both the use of a homogeneous population and the unreliable tests used were given as possible reasons for low correlations found between the two constructs. Seventy-three children from the fourth, fifth, and sixth grades of a parochial school in a metropolitan area in Iowa participated in the study. The Verbal form of the WISC-R was administered to 33 of the Ss. Scores from the Verbal form of the CAT were removed from the files of 71 of the Ss. The Verbal form of the Torrance Test of Creative Thinking (TTCT) was administered to all of the Ss. The subtests of the TTCT were scored for fluency, flexibility, and originality. A Pearson r correlation matrix was used to analyze the data. Results indicated a significant, yet low, relationship between intelligence and creativity when intelligence was measured by a group test. When intelligence was measured by an individual test, no significant relationship was determined between intelligence and creativity. Support for the threshold hypothesis was determined when data from the group intelligence test were analyzed. Data analyzed by grade,level indicated that fluency, flexibility, and originality scores of the fourth graders were significantly related to both their CAT and WISC-R scores. All of the creativity scores of the sixth graders were negatively correlated with their WISC-R scores, originality significantly so. Results from the present study suggest that the theoretical foundation may have some merit in explaining the relationship between the two constructs. Statistical considerations need to be addressed when studying the relationship between intelligence and creativity. Finally, recommendations for future research were suggested.

Year of Submission

1983

Degree Name

Specialist in Education

Department

Department of Educational Psychology and Foundations

First Advisor

Donald W. Schmits

Second Advisor

Gaile S. Cannella

Third Advisor

Harley E. Erickson

Comments

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Date Original

1983

Object Description

1 PDF file (93 leaves)

Language

en

File Format

application/pdf

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