Displaying items by tag: psychology

(First published here in 2012).

The present article explores the nature of creativity in craft and does so with the help of a case study of traditional Easter egg decoration. It starts by positioning the domain of folk art in relation to fine art and within a larger category of everyday life forms of creative expression. Following this, a cultural psychology approach to creativity is introduced and its framework used to unpack the actors and processes involved in craftwork. Analysing what is characteristic for folk art uses these particular theoretical lenses and requires paying attention to externalisation, integration, internalisation, and social interaction aspects, which are discussed in turn. Findings reveal fundamental features of craft such as its materiality, the presence of a strong traditional background, the importance of continuous learning, and the role of family and community relations. Towards the end, connections are made with the existing literature and final reflections offered on whether the characteristics above say something about creativity more generally, beyond the context of craft.

Your subscription helps support the non-profit Creativity & Human Development eJournal project, run by UK charity The Creativity Centre Educational Trust.

Another new and exciting addition to our Review Panel is Dr. James C. Kaufman. James is a Professor of Psychology at the California State University at San Bernardino. He is the author or editor of 23 books either published or in press. These include Creativity 101 (Springer, 2009); Cambridge Handbook of Creativity (with Robert Sternberg; Cambridge, 2010); Essentials of Creativity Assessment (with Jonathan Plucker and John Baer; Wiley, 2008), and International Handbook of Creativity (with Sternberg; Cambridge, 2006). Kaufman has published more than 200 papers, chapters, and reviews. His research has been featured and discussed in CNN, NPR, New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Wall Street Journal, New Yorker, and the BBC. He has traveled around the world talking about the power of creativity, keynoting in Taiwan, Qatar, Korea, Spain, France, and other places.

Kaufman is the President of American Psychological Association's Division 10 (Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts). He is a Fellow of APA (Divisions 1, 5, 10) and the Association for Psychological Science. He is also the founding editor of APA's newest journal, Psychology of Popular Media Culture. He is also the editor of the International Journal of Creativity and Problem Solving and he is the Series Editor of the "Psych 101" series from Springer Publishing. He was a founding co-editor of the official journal for APA's Division 10, Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts In addition, he has served as an Associate Editor for Psychological Assessment, Journal of Creative Behavior, and Research in the Schools. His awards include the 2003 Daniel E. Berlyne Award and the 2012 Paul Farnsworth Award from APA's Division 10, the 2008 E. Paul Torrance Award from the National Association of Gifted Children, the 2011-2012 Mensa Education & Research Foundation's Award for Excellence in Research, and the 2009 Early Career Research Award from the Western Psychological Association.

We are excited to announce that Dr Mark Runco has joined our Review Panel!

Mark Runco earned his PhD in Cognitive Psychology from the Claremont Graduate School. His research has focused on creativity since that time. Dr. Runco is the Founding Editor of the Creativity Research Journal and co-edited the Encyclopedia of Creativity in 1999 and 2011. He is currently the E. Paul Torrance Professor of Creativity and Gifted Education at the University of Georgia. In 2010 he published the rCAB, a comprehensive battery of tests for the assessment of creativity. Dr. Runco is a Past President of Division 10 (Psychology, Art, Creativity, and Aesthetics) of the American Psychological Association. His textbook, Creativity: Theories, themes, and issues (Academic Press) has been translated into six languages. The revision of that textbook, and his new volume, The New Science of Creativity, are due out in 2013.

Mark Runco earned his PhD in Cognitive Psychology from the Claremont Graduate School. His research has focused on creativity since that time. Dr. Runco is the Founding Editor of the Creativity Research Journal and co-edited the Encyclopedia of Creativity in 1999 and 2011. He is currently the E. Paul Torrance Professor of Creativity and Gifted Education at the University of Georgia. In 2010 he published the rCAB, a comprehensive battery of tests for the assessment of creativity. Dr. Runco is a Past President of Division 10 (Psychology, Art, Creativity, and Aesthetics) of the American Psychological Association. His textbook, Creativity: Theories, themes, and issues (Academic Press) has been translated into six languages. The revision of that textbook, and his new volume, The New Science of Creativity, are due out in 2013.

Dr. James C. Kaufman is a Professor of Psychology at the California State University at San Bernardino. He is the author or editor of 23 books either published or in press. These include Creativity 101 (Springer, 2009); Cambridge Handbook of Creativity (with Robert Sternberg; Cambridge, 2010); Essentials of Creativity Assessment (with Jonathan Plucker and John Baer; Wiley, 2008), and International Handbook of Creativity (with Sternberg; Cambridge, 2006). Kaufman has published more than 200 papers, chapters, and reviews. His research has been featured and discussed in CNN, NPR, New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Wall Street Journal, New Yorker, and the BBC. He has traveled around the world talking about the power of creativity, keynoting in Taiwan, Qatar, Korea, Spain, France, and other places.

Kaufman is the President of American Psychological Association's Division 10 (Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts). He is a Fellow of APA (Divisions 1, 5, 10) and the Association for Psychological Science. He is also the founding editor of APA's newest journal, Psychology of Popular Media Culture. He is also the editor of the International Journal of Creativity and Problem Solving and he is the Series Editor of the "Psych 101" series from Springer Publishing. He was a founding co-editor of the official journal for APA's Division 10, Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts In addition, he has served as an Associate Editor for Psychological Assessment, Journal of Creative Behavior, and Research in the Schools. His awards include the 2003 Daniel E. Berlyne Award and the 2012 Paul Farnsworth Award from APA's Division 10, the 2008 E. Paul Torrance Award from the National Association of Gifted Children, the 2011-2012 Mensa Education & Research Foundation's Award for Excellence in Research, and the 2009 Early Career Research Award from the Western Psychological Association.