What is Creativity?

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Comment by Penny Hooper on August 4, 2008 at 2:27pm

Creativity as I see it is an outcome derived through our receptive responses to stimuli. By stimuli I mean 'everything we persoanlly come in contact with around us through all our senses' both consciously and subconsciously. By 'receptive responses' I mean brain activity. The 'cortex activity' within the brain is constantly working to resolve stimuli and works with stimuli presented and makes connections with previous stimuli to interact with the cortex activity to resolve an outcome its satisfied with. Often these outcomes do not surface until further stimuli (conscious or subconscious) triggers the cortex to make connections bringing to our consciousness (current thinking) the outcomes whcih are defined as - ideas, suggestions, solutions whatever you like to call them.

We can set our own stimuli for creativity by understanding how our RAS works. RAS = Reticular Activating System.

The following is a response I sent to The Imagination Club when members were invited to give their tips on how to improve their creativity.
My tip is FINE TUNE YOUR R.A.S.
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> WHAT is this and HOW can you tune this you might ask?
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> We are all blessed with a personal RAS. Short for Reticular Activating System. In simplistic terms your RAS acts as a filter to all the multitude of sights and sounds(stimuli) that bombard us every second of the day. Our own personally developed RAS filters out what, as an individual you don't want or need to know. That is - what we do not need/want to hear/see/deal with for what ever personal reason and filters in what we do need/want to hear/see/deal with for what ever personal reason. How often have you been in the house with the TV or Radio on and not really listening to what is being transmitted and all at once you hear something that connects with you and you take notice. This is your RAS at work filtering in information relevant to you as an individual. For another this same information might be filtered out, likewise for everything that is not relevant to you.
> We therefore often filter out information that, if we were consciously aware of, could be of immense help to us.
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> By recognising the importance of your RAS and its function, you can consciously programme your RAS to tune into and react on set triggers,eg certain sights, sounds, words, text, other senses, thus filtering in relevant information for the cortex to make connections.
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> How do you do this you may ask?
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> Simple
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> For each senario you need/want to:- research, question, solve etc make a list of associated words and/or phrases, sounds, pictures/images/text connected or loosely connected and consciously link these to your senario by whatever method you find aids your long term memory. This list will then be implanted in your subconscious memory and will be activated when a connection is made. You can do this on a daily basis with a short list of specific triggers to pick up on especially when visiting the library, internet etc.
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> For example I have a current project related to fibres that can be used for art. I have made a list and now my RAS is tuned into things connected to fibres.
> When going about my daily work, rest and play my subconscious and my RAS will be working for me making connections. THIS IS WHERE YOU NEED A NOTE BOOK OR a system to RECORD these CONNECTIONS when they come to your consciousness.
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> This is a great individual or group activity when seeking a creative solution. For a group activity everyone has the list and reports back the various connections made by them over a certain period.
> You will be amazed with the range of feedback.
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> Try it.

Comment by Ken Rich on May 9, 2008 at 3:16pm

I am looking for artists to display there work in my Art & Nature group. Click the link below to check it out.

Click here for Art & Nature