A Look At How Creativity Works
Discovering how creativity works has led to answers for the question "Do we all have creativity?". After researchers determined that the two halves of the human brain process information differently, there could only be one conclusion; we all do indeed have the potential for creativity.
Everyone pick up a stick and let's go poke around the gray matter a while and see what we can discover about how creativity works in our brains.
What Is Creativity
What is creativity? Depending on who you ask, you'll can get a wide range of answers to this question. But if you ask me my definition of creativity is taking a unique thought and implementing it to obtain something of value. To have innovative thoughts and ideas, but not act on them means you are imaginative, not creative. If you create something that has no context, function, behavior, or structure, then you have created something of no value, thus propelling that something into the useless piece of trash bin.
So, creativity is the process as a whole, but not any one component. Using a set of tools in a unique and innovative way to implement an idea to some value can be called creative, but only after the process is successful.
The following video gives a great visual definition of creativity.
Enjoy!
Creativity, Left Brain/Right Brain
It has long been known that the human brain is comprised of two sections known as the left brain and the right brain, Each half processes received information or stimuli in radically different fashion.
The left brain is like a filing cabinet or reference catalog. The files are like zip files that show an image for reference. For instance, what we have stored is a fireworks display. The image used for the icon my be the one fireworks image from that display, giving us access to to the facts about that display. Who we were with, how old we were, where the display occurred, etc. Details and facts.
The right brain on the other hand is responsible for new information, feelings and emotions, abstracts and associations. We may see a fireworks display today and not see an icon, but we will associate it with one that we experienced in our past and remember how we felt about fireworks, the puppy love we had with that girl or guy who took us to that display in the past. This will in turn bring about romantic feelings and maybe cause us to hug the one we're with during the current display.
Knowing this we can see how creativity works.When we experience something new (vision, idea, or thought) our left brain begins to tickle all the old information stored in relative files and begins to massage the information in those files to form an idea that is unique.
Now for implementation.
An advertising executive is at a fireworks display with his love. The show starts and he is taken back to when he was fourteen years old and at a small town Independence Day Celebration that was capped off by a fireworks display. He remembers meeting his girlfriend, Beth, by the Tilt A Whirl. The emotions he remembered about that night leads to seeing Beth's name everywhere. He was smitten.
Tonight, as that memory plays across the movie screen in his mind, he looks at his fiance. Feeling overwhelmed by the sudden flood of romantic notions, he reaches to kiss Jill and then, through association, a great television ad is conceived.
The commercial is pitched to a client and produced. Air time is bought and the ad is exposed to millions, thus completing the creativity process.
When Opposites Attract: Right Brain/Left Brain Relationships and How to Make Them Work
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In this sensitive guide to relationship problems, Cutter, a Southern California marriage and family therapist, invites couples to consider a non-gender-bound perspective based on brain research that links the left cerebral hemisphere to analytical thought and language, and the right hemisphere to creativity and intuition. "Left-brain dominant" mates, we are told, focus on one thing at a time, are blunt, straightforward, tenacious and prefer not to take risks, while "right-brain dominant" types are intuitive and spontaneous, avoid routine and have trouble separating emotion from fact. When an LB person hooks up with an RB, he or she must learn specific skills to coordinate their polarized ways of being, asserts Cutter, who includes dialogues from couples therapy sessions plus self-help exercises. Whether or not one accepts her categories, which seem simplistic, this eye-opening manual has much to say about commitment, respect, earning trust and accepting imperfections, and should help many couples confront unmet needs.
Right Brain, Left Brain, or Both?
This little test is a popular way to see if you've been "wired" to be right brain dominant, left brain dominant, or whole brain.
We cannot truly be creative without being able to use both the left brain and the right brain. We may have novel thoughts and ideas, even implement the, but if the end product doesn't meet the four tenets of context, function, behavior, and structure, then the process is a failure.
Which Are You?

According to the test above and what you know about yourself, are you left brain dominant, right brain dominant, or are you adept at using both at the same time?
Fetching blurbs now... please stand byI am either left brain dominant or right brain dominant
I am capabale of using both halves at all times.
QueSea says:
I'm pretty doggone flexible. I'd say I'm ambidextrous. My wife says I'm "snuggly." I think that means I'm adept at using both sides at the same time. It's just a matter of recognizing it.
Posted August 10, 2009
kimmanleyort says:
First half of my life more left brain, second half leaning towards right brain. It's fun to use both!
Posted August 10, 2009
a_willow says:
Born with right brain but learned to use left side on daily basis... :)
Posted August 08, 2009
BevsPaper says:
My left is just a tad stronger but I am able to use both most of the time.
Posted August 08, 2009
Heather426 says:
definitely right brain dominant! but I was able to make her turn and go the other way
Posted August 07, 2009
luvmyludwig says:
I don't think either is dominant with me. I do tend to lean toward one side or the other at times, but seem to switch around.
Posted August 07, 2009
Take Back Your Right Brain
We are raised by the left brain. In most cases our education systems and social structures hammer repetitive input of facts and logics into us.
Local at the typical school curriculum and what we are taught. Math is a structured discipline, science, history, and even language arts. Even the music classes we are taught are based on A + B=C. We have been taught and are teaching our children to go out in the world and be productive cookie cutter drones. We are ignoring our right brain.
Can we get our right brain back? Can we achieve a working relationship between the two sides of the brain? Yes.
There's a blue moon full of creativity exercises, lessons and seminars that can show us how to win our right brain back, and every one of them involve a process that we are taught is the way to learn; repetition.
Below is a quirky, unique exercise that is very powerful when you consider what is really going on.
Enjoy!
Stretch Your Brain
Here are 5 really solid tools for creativity exercises. Do you know of any I missed? Feel free to add them to the list.
Thanks!
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Other Pages In the Creativity Series
This page, How Creativity Works, is part of an ongoing series based on creativity and it's impact on our lives.
In the list below, you'll find links to pages that explore the process and mechanics of creativity as well as pages about the number one creativity conference int the world, TEDtalks.
Enjoy!
- Do we all have creativity?
Do we all have creativity? That is a question which has been argued through the ages. Some schools of thought argue that not all of us have the talents or skills to be creative and others believe that those of who do possess those skills, depend on a Muse. I say that is all horse squat and that everyone of us are gifted with the skills and talents to be creative. Some of us unlearn creativity.- Best Of TEDtalks 2009 On Twitter
TED (Technology, Entertainment, and Design) is now hosted by the non-profit Sapling Foundation and uses the mantra "Ideas worth spreading". The TED lectures and performances are always entertaining, informative, and thought provoking as the featured guests are typically those who are on the cutting edge of their fields.
- TEDtalks Video Showcase
TED (Technology, Entertainment, and Design) is now hosted by the non-profit Sapling Foundation and uses the mantra "Ideas worth spreading". The TED lectures and performances are always entertaining, informative, and thought provoking as the featured guests are typically those who are on the cutting edge of their fields.- Best Of TEDtalks 2009 On Twitter ~ Music Edition
When we hear about the annual leading edge TEDtalks conference, we often think of the lectures on everything from creativity to going green. We also remember the engaging talks from heavy hitters such as Bill Clinton, Al Gore, Seth Godin, Clifford Stoll, etc. But TED (Technology, Entertainment, and Design) also features some of the brightest and most forward thinking musicians around.
Tomorrow's Solutions Begin Today
Every purchase means you'll automatically be making a donation to Young Inventors International, supporting engineering and science students.
Doesn't that feel good?
Righty Tighty, Lefty Loosey
What are the traits and habits that you see are a result of the way your brain is "wired"? Or, are you like me and have a short in the wiring?
Just say hi if that's all you want.
I hope you enjoyed your visit.
Thanks!
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- Vladi Vladi Sep 26, 2009 @ 8:33 am
- I am incredibly creative myself so I appreciate the glimmerings of it in others
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- Laniann Laniann Aug 13, 2009 @ 6:53 am
- I enjoyed reading your lens and watching the videos. Very good information, suggestions and just plain fun! Than you for sharing with us. 5*s
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- rms rms Aug 10, 2009 @ 5:38 pm
- Thanks for an interesting read!
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- kimmanleyort kimmanleyort Aug 10, 2009 @ 3:20 pm
- After taking a class using "Drawing from the Right Side of the Brain" I am convinced that everyone is creative. Great lens, Alex. An inspiration as always.
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- a_willow a_willow Aug 8, 2009 @ 8:29 am
- This is very creative right side lens... ;) well, still see a lot of left side inside also... LOL Great job, as always Alex! Blessed, my friend!
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- Joan4 Joan4 Aug 8, 2009 @ 7:47 am
- I am learning to walk away from computer and do something concrete - like dishes or sweeping or something - to get my creative side working again! Brilliant lens! Blessed by a joyful right-brained SQuidAngel!
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- BevsPaper BevsPaper Aug 8, 2009 @ 6:37 am
- Lefty seems to have a slight edge over righty in my brain but only by a thread I think. I can't seem to create a piece of art as an image by drawing it but I can usually create an image in one's head by using words to describe it.
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- GrowWear GrowWear Aug 7, 2009 @ 11:20 pm
- Oh, I've definitely got a short in the wiring. Right now, it's a blown fuse! FireFox, as usual. :D ...Looking forward to more in this series! You do good work, Alex, and I hope you never get tired of hearing that.
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- Teddi14 Teddi14 Aug 7, 2009 @ 10:31 pm
- Nice lens. Very interesting. I do think that you are neither one or the other. Both are used equally unless you have a head injury.
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- Heather426 Heather426 Aug 7, 2009 @ 8:32 pm
- righty tighty, lefty loosy, I love it! I used to rehab houses so I get that :)
Interesting lens, I enjoyed it. I'm definitely right brained and so is my husband. but for some reason I am very good at math which is more left brained. Go figure...
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My Creative Journey
Lensmaster drifter0658 has been a member since October 23 2008, has rated 996 lenses, favorited 731, and has created 104 lenses from scratch. Alex Crabtree donates their royalties to Young Inventors International and ASPCA. This member's top-ranked page is "Riding The Tail Of The Dragon". See all my lenses
My Bio
Born in Southwestern Ohio, and will most likely die there. Joining Squidoo in October 2008, I was attempting some Web 2.0 promotion of my e-store. Quickly I discovered that I had finally discovered my canvas. The ability to paint my vision on this medium has been greatly enhanced by the community here.
My thanks to each and every one of you.


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