Amabile (1983a) presented the most prominent theory currently used for studying individual creativity in organizations, the componential model, over 25 years ago. This model moved the study of creativity away from an individual differences-based paradigm to one taking into account the situation. The centerpiece of this model, the intrinsic motivation principle, suggests that situational factors influence individual creativity via an individual's intrinsic motivation (Amabile, 1996: 115). My review identifies anomalies in current research using Amabile's model that I use for new theory development. I then test that theory in a laboratory study. New theory I developed and tested explores factors that affect individual creative performance at work. This theory focuses on the effects environmental variables, dispositional traits, and psychological mediators have on creative performance. The trait of achievement motivation is used to directly predict creative performance and also how individuals differentially react to environmental factors. The psychological mediator utilized here is regulatory focus, which is a concept related to the ways individuals frame and engage situations. I describe and test how the facets of regulatory focus (promotion and prevention) account for the ways that environmental factors, achievement motivation, and the interaction of environmental factors and achievement motivation affect creative performance of adults in work-like environments (e.g. behavioral laboratory with adults). Results from this study were significant. First, achievement motivation significantly predicted creative performance. Second, there were no significant effects for regulatory focus, although this was mostly likely a result of limited scale development. Third, achievement motivation interacted with the experimental manipulations (expectations of controlling or informational expected evaluations), as the environmental variable, to predict creativity. This suggests theories of creativity that do not consider personality (c.f. Amabile, 1983a, 1983b, 1996) leave out a potentially important and significant portion of what leads to differences in individual creative performance. Finally, many variables reported to predict creative performance in the literature were used as control variables. In no model tested did any of these control variables reach significance or moderate the effects of achievement motivation, as it was measured in this study, on creative performance. These results suggest the finding here for achievement motivation is robust.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Chicago, Dept. of Economics, June 2001. / Includes bibliographical references. Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (M.L.A.) -- University of Texas at Arlington, 2008.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Memorial University of Newfoundland, 2002. / Bibliography: leaves 157-169.

In the Reform Proposals for the Education in Hong Kong published in 2000, it was clearly stated that the priotity of education in the 21st century should be ―to enable our students to enjoy learning, enhance their effectiveness in communication and develop their creativity and sense of commitment‖. This paper aims to respond to two of the aspects — the enhancement of effectiveness in communication and the development of students’ creativity. For years, schools have focused on promoting students’ creavity in reading and writing, but not in speaking. In fact, among the various language skills, ‘speaking’ is the skill students have to demonstrate the most in their daily interaction. Compared to reading and writing, the ability to express one‘s views verbally in a creative manner can give rise to more direct interaction, acting as a genuine reflection of a student’s wisdom, knowledge, capability and potential. It is also a lifelong skill that students can apply when they join the workforce in the future. It is therefore meaningful to place emphasis on cultivating students’ creativity in speaking. This research aims to explore the correlation between the Chinese oral proficiency and creative ability of senior secondary students in Hong Kong based on existing theories on the development of creativity and speaking. Target participants, recruited from two aided secondary schools of different abilities, receive training on speaking and creative thinking, and analysis is done adopting both the quantitative and qualitative approaches. Students of each school are first randomly divided into two groups — the experimental group and control group. Students of both groups are required to take a pre-test and a post-test, as well as complete a set of questionnaire in each session. Results obtained are compared and contrasted to gauge the changes in their oral proficiency and creative ability. In between the tests, the experiemental group receives seven experimental design lectures on News and Report, one of the elective modules of the NSS curriculum in Chinese Language Education, while the control group receives lectures on News and Report which reference on the samples from Education Bureau only, no experimental design lectures will be delivered. In the end, the three teachers involved in the study were interviewed, during which the teachers offered their observations on the change in the students’ learning behaviour and attitude. Based on the data collected from the administration of tests, questionnaires and interviews, the following conclusions are made: first, there is a correlation between oral proficiency and creative ability; second, students’ attitude and values have a direct impact on the effectiveness of the module; third, the Speaking and Creativity Assessment rubric used in the study proved to be successful in assessing the said abilities, enhancing learning effectiveness. Through the analysis of data collected, this research contributed to Chinese Language Education to some extent, especially in the teaching of oral proficiency and creativity. It opened up a new set of criteria for the assessment of creative speaking ability from different perspectives to ensure objectivity of results, offered diversified course materials that can effectively raise the standard of students’ speaking and critical thinking ability. 香港在2000 年教育制度改革建議中明確指出教育首要目標是培養學生成為「樂於學習、善於溝通、勇於承擔、敢於創新」的新一代，其中，本研究特別回應「善於溝通」和「敢於創新」這兩個重點。過往，學校及教師多注重學生閱讀能力及寫作能力創意的培養，而忽略說話能力的創意訓練。其實，在各種語文能力中，「說話」是學生日常生活最主要的表達能力。口語表達比閱讀及寫作語言起著更直接的交流及溝通作用，是一個人智慧、知識、能力、素質的綜合體現，是學生立足社會、終生受用的語文能力。因此語文教學以創意思維培養學生的說話能力是有實在意義的。 為探索本港高中學生口語表達和創意能力的相互關係，本研究以創造力(Creativity) 和說話能力訓練的理論為依據，對上述課題展開試驗及分析工作。本計劃以香港兩所不同程度的津貼中學學生的說話能力為研究對象， 施行融合創意和說話能力訓練的實驗教學模式。本研究採用量化和質化方式為主要研究的方法。首先， 每所學校的研究對象隨機分為實驗組 (Experimental Group) 和控制組 (Control Group)。兩組對象分別安排前測和後測來量度實驗前後的數據變化。在前測及後測之間， 實驗組將會進行結合了創意思維訓練元素的中國語文選修單元「新聞與報道」共七節課的教學，從而探究這次實驗課能否提高學生創意說話能力學習的成效。而控制組卻不會在實驗教學施行期間安排進行任何實驗教學，有關的課堂教學，只按照原本學校的「新聞與報道」課程進行。在公平的原則下，所有控制組的學生會在暑假補回教授有關的實驗課程知識。本研究同時在兩班實驗組學生發出前後兩次的問卷調查，以檢視受試者的說話能力及創意能力的變化。最後，訪問兩所受試學校參與研究的三位老師，以深入瞭解學生整體的學習行為和態度情意的改變。 透過分析實驗教學資料、問卷調查數據和訪談結果，本研究主要有以下幾方面的總結：第一，確立說話能力和創意能力的相互關係。第二，學生的學習態度和品德情意直接影響課程的學習成效。第三，本研究所採用的「說話及創意能力評量表」能客觀評估學生的說話及創意能力，促進學習效能。經各種測試及結果分析，本研究對中國語文教育作出了一些貢獻，尤其是在融合說話與創意能力方面，以提高學生說話和思考水平；開發創意說話能力的評核標準，包含多角度的評審考量為評核精神，以客觀的等級描述為評量依據；提供多元化的創意說話課程設計，有助提升學生的創意說話能力表現等多方面的意義。 / published_or_final_version / Education / Doctoral / Doctor of Education

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An individual-differences model of managerial creativity was developed. Based on a review of the creativity literature, four traits and abilities were identified as having relevance for creativity in managers: divergent thinking, evaluative thinking, work motivation, and openness to change, risk and ambiguity. The model was constructed by specifying behavioural descriptions of the creative management types that were predicted to arise from various combinations of high and low standing on these four traits and abilities. The initial model was presented to groups of managers in order to get their input and feedback. Moving forward with a model that met the approval of practicing managers, a concurrent validity study was designed. Tests and questionnaires designed to measure Divergent Thinking, Evaluative Thinking, Work Motivation, and Openness to Change, Risk and Ambiguity were administered to 223 incumbent managers, and criterion ratings of on-the-job creative behaviour were provided by the supervisors of these participating managers. Results of the research indicated that the traits and abilities included in the Creative Management Model were, indeed, important to managerial creativity. Managers who were consulted about the model fully endorsed the importance of these traits and abilities. Furthermore, two of the traits and abilities, Divergent Thinking and Openness to Change, Risk and Ambiguity, demonstrated solid validity in predicting prototypical aspects of creative management behaviour. In combination, these two variables provided a level of validity of sufficient magnitude (in the high .40's) to provide substantial utility to organizations seeking to increase the creativity of their management ranks by using this predictor combination for personnel-selection purposes. Despite the importance of the traits and abilities specified in the Creative Management Model, the empirical linkages between these individual-difference factors and the behavioural descriptions of the creative management types provided in the Creative Management Model were not strong. These weak linkages are largely attributed to inaccuracy in the behavioural descriptions. Psychometric weaknesses in some of the variables also contributed. Recommendations are made for revising the Creative Management Model and some of its concomitant measures. The implications of the research findings for management selection and creativity training are also discussed.

No abstract available. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of Natal, Durban, 1983.

To me, emotions have been a source of self-discovery and self-acceptance. / Thesis (M.Ed.) - University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2004.