Points of View about Preference as Tools in the Analysis of Creative Products

Abstract

Research on the creative product may provide an analytical tool for generating and testing hypotheses about psychological variables related to level and style of creative achievement. Evaluations of products should be analyzed to determine (1) whether more than one point of view about quality is held among a heterogeneous group of judges and (2) whether personality, academic, and background characteristics of Ss producing the products relate differentially to quality as defined by different points of view. In a study of artistic creativity, drawings were collected from 191 sophomore students at a school of design and rated for esthetic quality by 28 artist and non-artist judges. Four points of view about quality were identified by factor analysis of correlations between judges. Evidence is presented that psychological, achievement, and background characteristics of Ss are differentially related to quality of their drawings as defined by the four points of view. In particular, choice of major, scores on certain aptitude tests, academic performance in the fine arts courses, and measures of wealth of cultural background showed differential correlations with the points of view. Finally, characteristics of drawings rated high or low according to at least two of the judgmental viewpoints may be useful in the generation of hypotheses about psychological variables related to creativity.