Creative Genius as a Personality Phenomenon: Definitions, Methods, Findings, and Issues

Abstract

Genius first became the subject of scientific inquiry in the early 19th century, and it has continued to attract research interest to the present day. Although genius can be defined as either superlative intelligence or achieved eminence, this review is restricted to the latter definition, and is further confined to creative achievement. The article then describes the main methods for studying creative genius as a personality phenomenon. These methods entail three central dichotomous methodological decisions: single‐case versus multiple‐case samples, qualitative versus quantitative analyses, and direct versus indirect assessments. Next, the main empirical findings are presented with respect to both generic traits and domain‐contingent traits. There follows a brief discussion of three major issues: genetic and environmental influences, additive and multiplicative effects, and individual and situational factors. Given the intrinsic importance of the phenomenon and the many questions still unanswered, creative genius certainly deserves future treatment in personality psychology.

Psychopathology, adversity, and creativity: Diversifying experiences in the development of eminent African Americans.

“…According to Campbell (1960) and Simonton (2013), all creativity entails a variation-selection process (which involves cognitive flexibility and divergent idea generation). Even so, cre ativity in artistic domains requires more variational freedom in 1 Although psychologists have traditionally favored a two-criterion def inition that includes only some version of the the first two criteria (Runco & Jaeger, 2012), others favor parallel versions of a three-criterion defini tion (e.g., Amabile, 1996;Boden, 2004), including that used by the United States Patent Office (Simonton, 2012b). The main difference is that the third criterion rules out "in the box," expertise-driven, or algorithmic originality, and thus sets a higher standard (see also the distinction between "reasonable" and "unreasonable" problem solving; Perkins, 2000).…”

Associations between Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms, Creative Thinking, and Trait Resilience among Chinese Adolescents Exposed to the Lushan Earthquake

“…Moreover, most existing research has investigated the relationship between adversity and creativity by relying on historiometric research methods. One historiometry study focusing on geniuses who achieved extraordinary feats in a recognized domain, especially domains requiring creativity, reviewed the individuals’ past experiences and found certain common features (Simonton, 2012). The historiometric method is limited by “at‐a‐distance” assessments, which may also prevent rigorous conclusions from being drawn.…”

Designing for All: Consumer Response to Inclusive Design

“…Revered designers are often viewed as creative geniuses, who are highly coveted in organizations and studied as a cultural and personality phenomenon (Cattell & Butcher, 1968; Simonton, 2008, 2012). The characteristics of genius, such as novelty, originality, and uniqueness, are sought after, particularly in creative industries like advertising and product design (Simonton, 2018).…”