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Creativity and flexibility are considered by many to be inextricably linked. However, the current literature does not offer a clear view about their relationship and flexibility is not a unitary construct in psychological research. In this work, I present a new theoretical approach that considers flexibility a recurrent property in and of the cognitive system and I argue that flexibility is best understood as a link in the variability-stability-flexibility pattern. Investigating this pattern and looking at the dynamic flow from variability to stability and then to flexibility in the functioning of the cognitive system can lead us to better grasp how the system arrives at novel solutions in creative problem solving. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Humans are known to be able to solve problems creatively, but how exactly this occurs is still a matter of debate. Insight problem solving is one important way to study creativity in adults, but studies that use this method with preschool children are rare. In this paper, we present two studies: one in which the problem is solved with known objects (participants were preschool children aged 4 to 7 years) and one in which new objects were created (participants were children aged 5 to 6 years and adults). For both studies, results are discussed in relation to the various processes that can explain insight problem solving. We argue that the integration of these processes under the overarching variability-stability-flexibility pattern might be a better way to investigate insight and ultimately to understand innovation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Creativity and flexibility are considered by many to be inextricably linked. However, the current literature does not offer a clear view about their relationship and flexibility is not a unitary construct in psychological research. In this work, I present a new theoretical approach that considers flexibility a recurrent property in and of the cognitive system and I argue that flexibility is best understood as a link in the variability-stability-flexibility pattern. Investigating this pattern and looking at the dynamic flow from variability to stability and then to flexibility in the functioning of the cognitive system can lead us to better grasp how the system arrives at novel solutions in creative problem solving. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Humans are known to be able to solve problems creatively, but how exactly this occurs is still a matter of debate. Insight problem solving is one important way to study creativity in adults, but studies that use this method with preschool children are rare. In this paper, we present two studies: one in which the problem is solved with known objects (participants were preschool children aged 4 to 7 years) and one in which new objects were created (participants were children aged 5 to 6 years and adults). For both studies, results are discussed in relation to the various processes that can explain insight problem solving. We argue that the integration of these processes under the overarching variability-stability-flexibility pattern might be a better way to investigate insight and ultimately to understand innovation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]