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One of the most contentious areas in creativity theory is the question of domain specificity. How we conceptualize creativity--as something that transcends content domains, or as something that varies depending on the domain in question--has important implications for both creativity research and creativity training programs. The Amusement Park Theoretical (APT) model of creativity is the first creativity theory to successfully bridge the gap between these contrasting views of creativity. The APT model uses the metaphor of an amusement park to explore creativity. There are four stages: Initial requirements, general thematic areas, domains, and micro-domains. The first level (initial requirements) is very general, and each subsequent level gets more and more domain-specific. The APT model can provide a powerful framework for creativity assessment, selection of students for gifted education programs, and the development of creativity training programs.

Most studies of writers have focused on Western writers, including studies of personal characteristics and success. The Chinese culture has traditionally had a much different view of creativity. Would a study of modern Chinese writers mirror past Western findings, indicating that Chinese and Western conceptions of creativity may be converging, or would there be different results? This study examined 722 twentieth-century Chinese writers and yielded two main findings, which generally correspond to past, Western-based research. First, female writers, particularly poets and fiction writers, were more likely to suffer a personal tragedy than male writers. Second, writers who were politically persecuted were more likely to eventually receive an award than those not politically persecuted. Explanations and implications for future studies are then discussed. (Contains 4 tables.)

Little research has been conducted on how gifted novices compare to experts in their judgments of creative writing. If novices and experts assign similar ratings, it could be argued that gifted novices are able to offer their peers feedback of a similar quality to that provided by experts. Such a finding would support the use of collaborative feedback in gifted classrooms. We asked gifted high school creative writers and three groups of experts (cognitive psychologists, creative writers, and teachers) to rate a set of 27 short stories and 28 poems for creativity using a scale of 1 to 6. The interrater agreement among the novices was within acceptable standards, and the agreement among the experts was very strong. When the ratings of novices were compared to the ratings of experts, a strong degree of correlation was found, supporting the use of peer feedback among gifted novice creative writers.

The term "creativity" can conjure various ideas and meanings. It's no surprise that methods for measuring such a concept vary widely and are not without controversy. This is particularly true among people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), who are a unique yet incredibly diverse group of individuals. This article provides an overview of the assessment of creativity among individuals with ASD. Findings among studies that have sought to determine whether individuals with ASD are more or less creative than their neurotypical peers are mixed, yet the authors propose that intentional development of creativity in all youth, including those with ASD, can be beneficial. Practitioner Points: Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may have creative strengths that differ from their neurotypical peers. The arts may be an avenue for individuals with ASD to connect with others, gain satisfaction from life, and even explore vocations. Creativity should be encouraged in all children, including, and perhaps particularly among those with ASD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of the study reported here was to explore the relationship of Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) General Test scores to selected personality traits--conscientiousness, rationality, ingenuity, quickness, creativity, and depth. A sample of 342 GRE test takers completed short personality inventory scales for each trait. Analyses revealed statistically significant, but slight (positive) correlations of GRE verbal, quantitative, and analytical scores with both creativity and quickness. (Quickness was defined here by, for instance, the ability to handle a lot of information and the ability to understand things.) The results also revealed significant, but very slight (negative) correlations of GRE scores with conscientiousness.

The issue of racial/ethnic and gender differences in intelligence and academic abilities is fiercely and frequently debated, yet the examination of these differences in creativity is less studied. Our goal in this study was to use the Consensual Assessment Technique, in which experts judge a product's creativity, to examine differences in creativity among gender and ethnic groups. We conducted three separate analyses in which 13 experts rated 103 poems, 104 fictional stories, and 103 personal narratives written by Caucasian, African American, Latino/a, and Asian eighth-grade students. There were no significant African American-Caucasian differences on any of the writing tasks and there were no gender differences on all three tasks. The only significant differences in the creativity ratings on any of the tasks occurred in poetry, between the Latino/a-Caucasian groups and Latino/a-Asian groups. Implications and future directions are discussed. (Contains 2 tables and 1 footnote.)

Undergraduate creative writing students (n=41) and 40 student journalists (n=40) wrote sentences in response to photographs. Responses were then scored according to Burner's theory of Narrative and Paradigmatic Thought. Creative writers scored significantly higher than journalists on narrative thought. Male journalists outscored male creative writers on paradigmatic thought. (Contains references.) (Author/CR)

This article discusses using the Cognitive Assessment System based on the PASS theory, which centers on Planning, Attention, Simultaneous, and Successive cognitive processes, for identifying gifted children. It is argued that this more extensive and inclusive measure of intelligences could identify gifted children who would not traditionally be identified. (Contains references.) (Author/CR)

Two studies involving a total of 2149 writers and other eminent individuals found that female poets were significantly more likely to suffer from mental illness than female fiction writers, than male writers of any type, or than eminent individuals in other fields. This finding has been dubbed the "Sylvia Plath" effect. (Contains references.) (Author/DB)

This article applies a propulsion model of creative contributions to the arts and letters. It opens with a general discussion of creative contributions and reviews existing models before describing the propulsion model and suggesting eight types of contributions that follow from this model. Examples illustrate use of the model in understanding creativity in the arts and letters. (Contains references.) (Author/DB)

The standardization samples for the American Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised (WISC-R) (n=2,200) and the French WISC-R (n=1,066) were used to compare the intelligence of French and U.S. children. The American sample scored higher on verbal IQ, full scale IQ, and some subtests. Implications of results are discussed. (SLD)

What is the aim of giftedness? Is the goal to narrow in on the gifts of a select few or to nurture everyone's gifts such that they may be exchanged with each other? Drawing from creativity theory, we emphasize the possible interactive element of giftedness. Current paradigms risk ignoring hidden creativities and for potential to remain in the shadows. Is the promise of one possible eminent creator worth thousands of everyday creators? Do we need to make such a choice? By fostering perspective-taking and other collaborative skills, we may try to have it all. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Persson (2012a) correctly raises the question of how cultural biases may impact giftedness research. He alludes to East-West differences in perceptions of creativity and ways that the collectivist-individualistic approaches may lead to differences in creativity perception. In this commentary, the authors discuss different approaches, and attempt to expand research on how East and West cultures are both alike and different in their approaches to creativity. They conclude that there are certainly key differences in Eastern and Western perceptions and judgments of creativity; as Persson (2012a) argues, it is dangerous to ignore such nuances.