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A Creative Approach to the Study of Creativity: An Integrated Framework of Creativity in Middle-Aged and Older Adults

Houston, Michelle
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=akron1690216416137162

Abstract Details

, Doctor of Philosophy, University of Akron, Psychology-Adult Development and Aging.
The understanding of the creative process in older adulthood is particularly important given that older adults must adapt to new challenges. However, it is unclear how personal factors (e.g., personality, motivation), cognition, and environmental stressors act in combination to influence creativity in older age. Additionally, microstructural brain associations with creativity in middle-aged and older adult adults have yet to be explored despite well-known evidence of brain changes with age. In this study, I used an integrated approach to understand predictors of creative potential and creative achievement in older adults. A sample of 80 older adults (age 50+) completed self-reports of trait personality, motivation, quality of life, and creative achievements, underwent neuropsychological testing and a measure of divergent thinking, and underwent multimodal brain magnetic resonance imaging acquisition. Multiple regression models were used to examine how personality, cognition, and environmental factors related to creative potential (e.g., divergent thinking) and different domains of creative achievements. Diffusion tensor imaging was also used to examine how indices of white matter integrity were associated with different measures of creativity. Results indicated cognitive processes were closely associated with divergent thinking, whereas personality and motivation factors were better predictors of creative achievement across artistic, scientific, and everyday creative domains. Additionally, no white matter associations were found for any measure of creativity. This study adds to the literature by contributing new data regarding how multiple personal, cognitive, and environmental factors relate to creative potential and production. Furthermore, this study is the among the first to examine DTI correlates with creativity in a sample of older adults. The results of this study highlight the importance of taking a multifaceted approach to the study of creativity and shed light on potential modifiable mechanisms by which creativity can be promoted in older age.
Philip Allen (Advisor)
Jennifer Stanley (Committee Member)
Michael Hein (Committee Member)
Aliaksei Boika (Committee Member)
Conor McLennan (Committee Member)
Toni Bisconti (Committee Member)
162 p.
Developmental Psychology
creativity; aging; dti; cognition

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Houston, M. (2023). A Creative Approach to the Study of Creativity: An Integrated Framework of Creativity in Middle-Aged and Older Adults [Doctoral dissertation, University of Akron]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=akron1690216416137162

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Houston, Michelle. A Creative Approach to the Study of Creativity: An Integrated Framework of Creativity in Middle-Aged and Older Adults. 2023. University of Akron, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=akron1690216416137162.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Houston, Michelle. "A Creative Approach to the Study of Creativity: An Integrated Framework of Creativity in Middle-Aged and Older Adults." Doctoral dissertation, University of Akron, 2023. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=akron1690216416137162

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

akron1690216416137162
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© 2023, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by University of Akron and OhioLINK.