ABSTRACT
Summary: IQ tests measure intelligence, and the Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking (TTCT)- Figural is the most widely accepted measure of adaptive creativity, innovative creativity, and creative personality. Creative thinkers who excel in convergent thinking usually exhibit more “adaptive” skills, meaning they readily adapt existing solutions to new scenarios. Those who are stronger in divergent thinking usually exhibit more “innovative” skills: they can create or postulate new solutions. Adaptive creative thinkers create original ideas that are more likely to fit existing paradigms, whereas innovative creative thinkers create original ideas that are more likely to challenge existing paradigms. This chapter describes what the TTCT measures. It also considers implications of research showing that, even as IQ increased annually, TTCT scores continually decreased. Since 1990, adaptive creativity, innovative creativity, and creative personality have significantly diminished in America, with significant implications. Explanations for the decrease in creativity and its implications are discussed.
