Relationship of Originality to Kirton's Scale for Innovators and Adaptors

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between originality and Kirton's scale for innovators and adaptors. Kirton's scale measures the way a person solves problems or style, while creativity has been described as level or the efficiency in solving problems. Kirton's 1976 theory states the two variables should not be related; however, careful reading of the manuals of both tests indicates innovators and creative individuals have similar characteristics. Past research has yielded mixed results. For 110 university students, given Sounds and Images and the Kirton Adaption-Innovation Inventory, a significant negative correlation was obtained for adaptors but none for innovators or the entire sample. Perhaps innovation and creativity are related, but only for highly creative persons.

The Effects of Personal and Contextual Characteristics on Creativity: Where Should We Go from Here?

“…A number of investigations have examined the relation between individuals' cognitive style and creative outcomes (see Kirton, 1994;Masten & Caldwell-Colbert, 1987). Results suggest that individuals with an innovative style tend to be more creative than those with an adaptive style (e.g., Keller, 1986;Lowe & Taylor, 1986).…”

Role of Cognitive Styles in Business and Management: Reviewing 40 Years of Research

“…Kirton (1976) also derived three KAI subscales: sufficiency of originality; efficiency; group rule conformity. Several cross-validation studies have been conducted by Kirton and his colleagues (Kirton 1984;Kirton and McCarthy 1985;Kirton et al 1991) but also independently by researchers seeking to either replicate Kirton's findings or offer critique (Chan 2000;Joniak and Isaksen 1988;Masten and Caldwell-Colbert 1987;Rickards and Gaston 1995).…”

“…Several cross‐validation studies have been conducted by Kirton and his colleagues (Kirton 1984; Kirton and McCarthy 1985; Kirton et al . 1991) but also independently by researchers seeking to either replicate Kirton's findings or offer critique (Chan 2000; Joniak and Isaksen 1988; Masten and Caldwell‐Colbert 1987; Rickards and Gaston 1995). Researchers have re‐examined Kirton's claim for a three‐factor model (Taylor 1989) with suggestions that the ‘sufficiency of originality’ subscale needs to be divided into subfactors, a view supported by Foxall and Hackett (1992).…”

The Influence of Individual Factors, Supervision and Work Environment on Creative Self‐Efficacy

“…Creativity, an important precursor for innovation, provides organizations with a competitive advantage in a reinforcing loop of improved customer service, increased staff morale, increased retention of quality staff and further improvements in service (Glisson & Durick, 1988; Anderson & College, 1992). Creative output comes from the performance of individuals with particular cognitive and personality traits (Masten & Caldwell‐Colbert, 1987; Kirton, 1989) who are supported within a facilitative work environment (Scott & Bruce, 1994; Amabile et al., 1996; Rice, 2006). Confidence in one's own ability or one's self‐efficacy is an important cognitive and social trait determining and sustaining work performance.…”

“…Creative output comes from the performance of individuals with particular cognitive and personality traits (Masten & Caldwell‐Colbert, 1987; Kirton, 1989) who are supported within a facilitative work environment (Scott & Bruce, 1994; Amabile et al., 1996; Rice, 2006). Confidence in one's own ability or one's self‐efficacy is an important cognitive and social trait determining and sustaining work performance.…”