Diana B. Bogoyavlenskaya

Background. The article describes the author’s way from researching the phenomenon of insight to revealing the psychological mechanism of creativity. Its first stage (1965) was a postgraduate continuation of the studies initiated in the term papers and dissertations under the guidance of S.L. Rubinshtein. At the second stage (1969) the author introduced a new experimental-diagnostic method “Creative field” into psychology. 

Objective. To reveal the author’s approach to the consideration of the thought process and the nature of creativity; to describe the study of the mechanism of creativity as an ability to develop activities on one’s own initiative. 

Results. At the first stage of research work it was justified that the mechanism of insight opened by Y.A. Ponomarev is not the only one. The studies demonstrated the role of the nature of the thinking languages and the dynamics of changing their types: from the visual image to the sign, and then — from the sign to the structure. The visibility of the structure explains instant emergence of the hypothesis. The author’s conclusions were confirmed in the theories of N.I. Zhinkin, L.M. Wecker, M. Hunt. The second stage of research allowed the author to realize the Rubinstein’s principle of creative activity and develop a typology of cognitive activity, which correlates with the cognition levels identified by G. Hegel: stimulus-productive level supposes implementation of the proposed task within the framework of initial requirements (according to Hegel — the level of the singular); heuristic level, carried out beyond the requirements of the original task, allows to discover new patterns (according to Hegel — the level of the special); creative level (according to Hegel — the level of the universal) is characteristic of the few. An open regularity does not act as a solution method, but as a starting point for constructing a theory. 

Conclusion. The article substantiates that the mechanism of creativity as the ability to develop one’s activity on his own initiative, can take place only with the dominance of cognitive motivation in the structure of personality. This has been confirmed in the sample of more than 10,000 subjects in a series of long-term studies in which one experiment is in process since 1970, when the subjects were 10th graders. The research data of these studies constitute a theoretical and empirical proof of the post-nonclassical methodological principle of the unity of truth and morality.

Background. Development of a creative personality is considered among the priority tasks for the modern education system of the Russian Federation. The article presents a critique of the education system imposed on Russia, which can be represented in the image of “up the stairs leading down”. The author emphasizes the relevance of providing the rationale for the essential factors in the educational process in order to ensure the development of students’ creative abilities, which should not be reduced only to the development of their intelligence.

Objective. Identification and justification of the dominant factors in the educational process aimed at developing the students’ creative abilities.

Study Participants. Children (from older preschoolers to school graduates), university students, and specialists of various occupations took part in the long-term research. The studies were carried out in Moscow and the Moscow region, as well as in other regions of the Russian Federation and abroad.

Method. The author’s method “Creative Field” was implemented in a number of relevant techniques taking into account the age characteristics of the subjects. The techniques are based on different materials, which made it possible to conduct crosssectional experimental studies on a large sample of subjects of different ages and professions, as well as a number of longitudinal studies lasting from 10 to 54 years.

Results. The analysis of experimental studies shows that creativity as the ability to develop activity on one’s own initiative is possible only if there is a unity of the level of intelligence development corresponding to the task and the dominance of cognitive motivation in the personality structure. The integration of these factors determines the mechanism of creativity. The author has substantiated the dominant factors of the educational process aimed at developing the students’ creative abilities.

Conclusions. The development of intelligence increases the possibility of mastering complex activities, and the dominance of cognitive needs gives rise to the ability to be creative. The decisive role in the development of a student as a creative personality is the teacher’s position as of researcher and the value of knowledge.