Adolescent, Creative

The Creative Adolescent in Context

A systems theory perspective views creativity as a process shaped by multiple forces, including but not limited to the contributions of the creative person. Such an approach is not at odds with creativity research that focuses on characteristics of the person. What is known about individual differences that affect creativity can be incorporated into systems models that integrate persons with their sociocultural contexts.

Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi adopted a systems view and asked the question, Where is creativity? He suggested that creativity resided in a process shaped by three forces. First, a person introduces a novel contribution. Second, a field selects from the variations produced by individuals those deemed worthy of recognition and preservation. Third, a symbolic domain is the cultural repository that contains the selections of the field and allows the transmission of information to subsequent generations. These three subsystems—person–field–domain—are related through circular causality. In other words, each subsystem affects the others, and in turn is affected by the others. Thus, creativity is not located “inside” the individual or any of the other subsystems. The system of interrelationships is greater than the individual parts of person, field, and domain.

Each subsystem is important for understanding creativity. A symbolic domain (e.g., mathematics) is part of the shared knowledge of a culture. It provides the set of rules, concepts, and procedures for working with a specific body of knowledge. The potentially creative person must become immersed in a domain and learn about it before he or she can change or add to it. When an individual introduces a novel variation, members of a field act as gatekeepers of the domain. The field's job is to decide if a new idea is worthy to be selected and preserved. For example, when a scientific article is submitted to a journal for possible publication, it competes with other submissions to that journal. Peer reviewers serve as gatekeepers and decide if the article is worthy of publication. Even if the article is published, it competes for the attention of the field (i.e., other scientists) with articles published by other journals. If the author's ideas are going to be recognized as creative, they must gain notice through this social process.

The person–domain–field interrelation is relevant for understanding real-world creativity. It is also relevant for understanding creativity in adolescence. In middle school and high school, for example, every skill that affords an adolescent an opportunity for creativity (e.g., math, science, music, art, athletics) is part of an organized field. There is an institutional network of people and activities in schools that supports and recognizes creativity. In science, the field includes teachers who recognize the creative contributions of adolescents by evaluating tests, assignments, projects, and so on. Judges in science fairs may also provide opportunities for teenagers to demonstrate their skill and gain public recognition for their creativity. Civic organizations, businesses that provide prizes, national organizations, and even student or community newspapers are part of the field that selects some student contributions as creative and worthy of distinction.

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