ABSTRACT
The author sets out the broader historical context of creativity emphasising themes salient to the topic of mental imagery. The chapter discusses the premodern perspective on creativity including: Plato’s influential view of art as merely imitative; and early Egyptian ideas predating Plato which have striking parallels with contemporary perspectives on the phenomenology of creative processes. It describes the emergence of more modern notions of the creative individual which began in the Renaissance and then deals in more detail with the study of creativity originating with Galton’s work in the 19th century. It includes discussion of seminal early contributions to the field such as: Guilford’s work on the psychology of creativity; Rhodes’ framework of creativity; Wallas’ stage model of the creative process; and Osborn’s techniques for creative thinking. The chapter outlines the developments in theory and research over the second half of the 20th century including: the development of standardised creativity assessments; divergent thinking and the shift of interest from the notion of creative genius to ordinary everyday creativity. Attention is paid to some of the contemporary themes and debates emerging in the early decades of the 21st century, in particular the contributions from neuroscience to understanding the nature of creative processes. The chapter concludes with a discussion of the profound impact that Cartesian dualism has had on shaping modern perceptions of the faculty of the imagination and, by association, mental imagery.
