Thesis (MA (Research Psychology))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references. Available on the Internet via the World Wide Web.

Thesis (MA (Research Psychology))-University of Pretoria, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references. Available on the Internet via the World Wide Web.

The relationship between the personality trait of openness to experience and problem solving ability in environments offering various levels of informational support in the form of analogous problems was investigated using 173 participants. I suspected the strongest positive relationship in an environment offering moderate support and that individuals who were high on openness to experience would be likely to see that previous presented information was analogous in nature. There was no relationship between penness to experience and problem solving ability as a function of the environment or in general. However, students given a high level of support solved significantly more problems than those participants receiving no support. Also, more students solved the problems when they saw an analogous connection between the experimental and the demonstration problems. An implication may be that problem solving ability can be taught using analogies, if the information is complete and students are able to determine the relevance to future problems. / Department of Psychological Science

Thesis (PhD) - Swinburne University of Technology, Brain Sciences Institute, 2008. / [A thesis submitted for the degree of] Doctor of Philosophy, Brain Sciences Institute, Swinburne University of Technology - 2008. Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (p. 250-272) and index.

This thesis tackles the assessment of job candidates‟ creative potential through the processes of recruitment and selection in UK creative SMEs. Literature on individual creativity (Rogers, 1954; Oldham and Cummings, 1996; Sternberg and Lubart, 1996; Sternberg, O‟Hara and Lubart, 1997; West, 1997; Simonton, 2000), has placed importance on the individual characteristics and personality traits that distinguish a creative individual from a non-creative. Lack of knowledge regarding creativity assessment through recruitment and selection in creative SMEs has triggered the author to investigate this area. The author has designed a theoretical framework which comprises three elements, namely personality traits, individual knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) and team KSAs, which, according to the literature review, need to be taken into account when assessing individuals‟ creative potential in creative SMEs. This framework was tested with the use of a mixed methodological approach. Firstly, the qualitative approach involved the performance of 17 interviews with the owners/managers and directors of creative SMEs in Scotland. The quantitative approach involved the design and distribution of a questionnaire to a larger sample of creative companies across the UK, which resulted in 140 answered questionnaires. From the analysis of these data, interesting findings arose which indicated that creative SMEs use a mix of criteria when assessing job candidates‟ creativity. Personality traits, individual and team KSAs were highlighted, as well as the importance of motivation, which influenced selection decisions. Variations on the importance of such criteria were evident when the researcher investigated the different creative sectors and the different positions the respondents held. The most commonly used recruitment and selection practices in creative SMEs were provided. Additionally, differences in the recruitment methods used between creative SMEs who have and have not won creative awards were highlighted.

Further analyses of comparing the creativity scores of the experimental groups also showed inconsistent results. Participants in the promotion cue condition scored significantly higher in uniqueness and unusualness of standardized assessment, and fluency and flexibility of creative problem solving than those in the prevention cue condition. The correlation between promotion focus and creativity was found significantly higher under the promotion cue condition than the prevention cue condition. But other mixed results showed that the control group scored significantly higher fluency and flexibility of standardized assessment than participants in the promotion cue condition. Participants' levels of promotion focus trait also had main effects on their creativity scores. Participants with higher trait of promotion focus tended to score higher in most of the creativity indicators. / In conclusion, the present study provided some limited evidence that promotion focus as a personality trait had weak but positive associations with creativity, and achievement goal as a weak mediator in affecting students' creativity. Students' promotion trait had stronger main effect on their creative performance than situational promotion focus. Ways to improve the manipulation effects and future direction on research had been suggested. / Results showed that the manipulation was relatively ineffective as reflected by the manipulation questions. Participants' promotion trait had, however, main effects on the manipulation items. Participants with high promotion trait scored significantly higher in all the checking items of promotion focus. Participants' prevention trait also had main effects on their perception of checking items of prevention focus. Participants with high prevention trait got higher scores of prevention situation than individuals with medium and low trait level. / Study 2 took a further step to examine the effects of regulatory focus on creativity in 490 Grade 7 students who had taken part in the previous study. Participants of 13 intact classes were randomly assigned to one of the conditions, namely promotion-framing condition (188 students from 5 classes), prevention-framing condition (149 students from 4 classes), and the control condition (153 students from 4 classes). Verbal and written instructions were provided with an intention to frame the regulatory focus of individual students. Participants completed a parallel item of the alternate use battery of the standardized creativity assessment, another item of creative problem solving, and six checking questions. Previous scores of achievement goals and regulatory foci were used as covariates in analysis of variance to examine the differences in the checking items. / The present study aimed at examining the influence of two motivational variables---achievement goal and regulatory focus on creativity. It was composed of two empirical studies. Study 1 was designed to investigate how achievement goal and regulatory focus affected creativity. A total of 824 Grade 7 students took part in completing a questionnaire which comprised an alternate use item of a standardized creativity assessment, a creative problem solving task, an instrument on achievement goal and two instruments on regulatory focus. Exploratory factor analyses and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted to confirm the factor structures of achievement goals (mastery-approach goal, performance-approach goal, mastery-avoidance goal, and performance-avoidance goal) and regulatory foci (promotion focus and prevention focus). Results showed that these two variables were basically distinctive in nature. Positive but weak correlations were found between promotion focus and creativity, as well as prevention focus and creativity. Positive and weak correlations were also found between mastery-approach goal and creativity, performance-approach goal and creativity, as well as mastery-avoidance goal and creativity. Promotion focus had moderately high associations with both approach goals (mastery-approach and performance-approach) and avoidance goals (mastery-avoidance and performance-avoidance), and so had prevention focus. Regression analyses indicated that the strongest predictor for creativity was promotion focus. Performance-approach goal and mastery-avoidance goal served as weak mediators of regulatory focus on creativity. / Hui Na Na Anna. / "November 2006." / Adviser: P. C. Cheung. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 68-08, Section: A, page: 3279. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 206-224). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Electronic reproduction. [Ann Arbor, MI] : ProQuest Information and Learning, [200-] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Abstract in English and Chinese. / School code: 1307.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Melbourne, Dept. of Psychology, 2005. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 304-349).

No description available.

This study explores some of the possible correlations between creativity and criminal thinking evident in the literature in an attempt to link the two forms of cognition. An understanding of the concept of Malevolent Creativity can serve the purpose of elucidating another component of the criminal personality.

Thesis (MA) -- Stellenbosch University, 2000. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: As the human race enters the new millennium it is challenged by factors such as continuos changed, demand for improved quality and increased competition of global proportions. This requires of organisations to be more responsive to change as well as that individuals will need to position themselves to meet the challenges of the knowledge era. These challenges demand creativity in order to meet the demands for value adding contributions to the organisation. The above mentioned situation gives rise to a number of questions: Firstly, how can the creative processes of an individual be assessed? Secondly, what role does personality play as an indicator of creativity? Lastly, can the knowledge concerning the relationship between creativity and personality be applied to enhance the expression of creativity in the working environment? This research is aimed at investigating the relationship between personality dimensions and creative thinking preferences. 305 managers from the 1st, 2nd and 3rd reporting levels of an organisation in the aviation maintenance and manufacturing industry took part in the study. Two instruments were used namely the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator Step II, to assess the personality dimensions and the Neethling Brain Instrument (NBI) to assess the subjects creative thinking preference. A Pearson Product Moment analysis was conducted to determine the correlation between the subscales of the MBTI Step II personality dimensions and the NBI. Next a Principal Component analysis was conducted to determine if any of the NBI thinking style preferences measure the same factor as the subscales of the MBTI Step II, as well as to reduce the number of variables used to determine if a significant relationship exists between the principle dimensions of the MBTI and thinking styles of the NBI. Finally, a regression analysis was performed to determine if the principle dimensions of the MBTI Step II are significantly related to the thinking style dimensions of the NBI. The results of the Pearson Product Moment correlation indicated that significant correlations exist between the sub-scales of the MBTI Step II and the NBI thinking preferences. However, the significance of these correlations range from weak to strong, posing a challenge with regard to determining which of these correlations have any practical value. The results of the Principle Component analysis indicated the existence of four distinct factors, which are common to both the MBTI Step II, and the NBI. However, it was of interest to note that two of the dimensions of the NBI each loaded on two of the factors leading to the conclusion that these two dimensions each measure two unique factors. The results of the Regression analysis provided evidence that the NBI measures two dimensions of the MBTI Step II. Firstly, a preference for thinking is measured by the L1, Upper Left quadrant scale of the NBI and a preference for feeling is measured by the R2, Right Lower quadrant scale of the NBI. Secondly, that a combination of the Judging/Perceiving and Sensing/Intuition preferences are related as follows. The R1, Right Upper quadrant preference scale measures a combination of Perceiving and Intuition. The L2, Left Lower quadrant scale appears to measure a combination of Judging and Sensing. An obvious question that arises is, which personality type is more creative? The process perspective on creativity would appear to indicate that certain personality types have a preference for contributing more effectively to specific parts of the creative process. Thus it can be concluded that no single personality type is more creative than the other is, but that creativity requires the use of all the functions of Personality Type. The key to creativity is the integration of all the Type functions both preferred and not preferred in a synergistic manner. This requires recognition that creativity will require the expenditure of significant amounts of psychic energy to apply non-preferred functions in the process of being creative. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Organisasies wat die nuwe millenuim betree het, staar toenemende uitdagings in die gesig. Faktore soos konstante verandering, toenemende eise vir die verbetering van kwaliteit en die verhoging in kompetisie wereldwyd, stel aan organisasies hoer eise om vinniger te reageer op verandering. Dit verg ook van individue om hulself te posisioneer ten einde die uitdagings van die kennis-era aan te durf. Die uitdagings vereis kreatiwiteit om aan die eise van waarde-toevoeging in die organisasie by te dra. Die voorafgenoemde situasie laat 'n paar vrae ontstaan. Eerstens, hoe ‘n individu se kreatiewe prosesse geevalueer kan word, tweedens watter rol persoonlikheid speel as ‘n aanduider van kreatiwiteit en laastens of kennnis van die verband tussen kreatiwiteit en persoonlikheid prakties toegepas kan word om die uitdrukking van kreatiwiteit in die werksomgewing te verhoog. Hierdie navorsing is daarop gemik om die verband tussen persoonlikheidsdimensies en kreatiewe denk voorkeure te ondersoek. 305 bestuurders in die eerste, tweede en derde rapporteringsvlak van 'n lugvaart vervaardiging en onderhoud organisasie het aan die navorsing deelgeneem. Twee meetinstrumente is gebruik in die navorsing naamlik die Myers-Briggs Type Indicator Step II, om die persoonlikheidsdimensies te meet en die Neethling Brein Instrument (NBI) om die individue se kreatiewe denkvoorkeure te meet. Die Pearson Produk Moment ontleding is gebruik om die korrelasie tussen die persoonlikheidsdimensie sub-skale van die MBTI Step II en die NBI te bepaal. Daarna is 'n Hoofkomponent ontleding uitgevoer om te bepaai of enige van die NBI denk voorkeurstyle dieselfde faktor as die MBTI Step II subskale meet, asook om die aantal veranderlikes te verminder om sodoende te bepaai of daar ‘n betekenisvolle verband bestaan tussen die hoofdimensies van die MBTI Step II en die denkstyle van die NBI. Laastens is ‘n Regressie ontleding gebruik om te bepaai of die hoofdimensies van die MBTI Step II ‘n betekenisvolle verband toon met die denkstyl dimensies van die NBI. Die resultate van die Pearson Produk Moment ontleding het daarop gedui dat daar ‘n betekenisvolle korrelasie bestaan tussen die sub-skale van die MBTI Step II en die NBI denk voorkeure. Die betekenisvolheid van die korrelasies wissel egter van swak tot sterk korrelasies, wat ‘n uitdaging skep in terme van die bepaling van die korrelasies wat enige praktiese waarde inhou. Die resultate van die Hoofkomponent ontleding het die bestaan van vier kenmerkende faktore aangedui wat biede algemeen is in die MBTI Step II, en die NBI. Dit was egter interressant om te merk dat twee van die NBI se dimensies op twee verskillende faktore gelaai het. Die gevolgtrekking wat gemaak word is dat die twee dimensies elk twee afsonderlike faktore meet. Die resultate van die Regressie Ontleding het aangedui dat die NBI twee dimensies van die MBTI Step II meet. Eerstens, word ‘n voorkeur vir “Thinking” gemeet deur die L1, Linker Bokantste kwadrant op die NBI en 'n voorkeur vir “Feeling” word gemeet deur die R2, Regter Onderkantste kwadrant van die NBI. Tweedens, dat 'n kombinasie van “Judging/Perceiving” en "Sensing/Intuition” voorkeure die volgende verband toon. Die R1 Regter Bokantste kwardrant meet 'n voorkeur vir ‘n kombinasie van “Intuition” en “Perceiving”. Die L2 Linker Onderkantste kwadrant meet ‘n voorkeur vir 'n kombinasie van “Sensing" en “Judging”. ‘n Ooglopende vraag wat gevra word is die van watter persoonlikheidstipe meer kreatief is? Uit die prossess perspektief wat geneem is in die studie, wil dit voorkom dat sekere persoonlikheidstipes ‘n voorkeur het om meer effektief te kan bydra tot specifieke gedeeltes van die kreatiewe prosess. Die afleiding kan dus gevorm word dat geen enkele persoonlikeidstipe meer kreatief is as die ander nie, maar eerder dat die gebruik van al die funksies van persoonlikheidstipe nodig is om kreatiewiteit te ontsluit. Die sleutel tot kreatiewiteit is dus die sinergistiese integrasie van al die Tipe funksies, beide die waarvoor ‘n voorkeur bestaan en die waarvoor daar nie ‘n voorkeur is nie. Dit verg ook die besef dat kreatiwieteit die spandering van groot hoeveelhede psigiese energie benodig, om funksies waarvoor daar nie 'n voorkeur is nie, toe te pas om die kreatiewe process te volbring.