General test for Creativity

Introduction
Creativity is the characteristic of a person to generate new ideas, alternatives, solutions, and
possibilities in a unique and different way. Creativity is the ability to conceive something
unpredictable, original, and unique. It must be expressive, exciting, and imaginative.
Creativity can involve; Coming up with new ideas, alternatives, or possibilities
Finding new solutions to problems
Developing original work, theories, techniques, or thoughts
Among the widely used objective methods in order to measure divergent thinking, an
important aspect of creativity, is the Wallach Kogan Creativity Test. This was first developed
in the 1960s and aimed at discovering how people generally think and how they can come up
with alternative solutions related to open-ended questions. A number of probes encouraging
creative, flexible thinking are proposed to the participants. The emphasis is on quantity as
well as on the uniqueness of ideas coming from the test.
The Wallach-Kogan creativity test was first described in the book “The Modes of thinking in
young children: a study of the creativity-intelligence distinction”, by Michael Wallach and
Nathan Kogan. WKCT is based on the psychologist Sarnoff Mednick’s concept of creativity.
Mednick defined creativity as – “the forming of associative elements into new combinations
which either meet specific requirements or are useful in other ways”.
The Wallach-Kogan Creativity Test (WKCT) is a series of tests that assesses a person's
creativity. It's used in educational, clinical, and research settings. Michael Wallach and
Nathan Kogan were psychologists who developed the Wallach-Kogan Creativity Test
(WKCT). The WKCT is a battery of tests that measures creativity by asking participants to
generate ideas in response to open-ended questions.
Michael Wallach was the younger and first author of the Wallach-Kogan Creativity Test
(WKCT) fame. He was a research psychologist of note with interests in, amongst others,
creativity in childhood, risk-taking and creativity, and intelligence.
Nathan Kogan was the older and second author of the Wallach-Kogan Creativity Test
(WKCT) fame. Like Wallach, he was a noted research psychologist with interests in
cognitive, personality, developmental and evolutionary psychology among others.
Creativity, defined as the ability to produce novel and valuable ideas, plays a pivotal role in
personal, academic, and professional contexts. Measuring creativity has become an essential
task for psychologists, educators, and researchers who seek to understand and foster this vital
skill. Among the many instruments designed to assess creativity, the General Test for
Creativity (GTC) stands out as a widely recognized tool that offers a structured approach to
evaluating creative potential and thinking.
The General Test for Creativity is an assessment tool aimed at gauging an individual's
divergent thinking abilities, a core component of creativity. Divergent thinking refers to the
capacity to generate multiple solutions to open-ended problems and is often contrasted with
convergent thinking, which focuses on arriving at a single correct solution. By measuring
divergent thinking, the GTC helps to identify how individuals approach challenges, adapt to
new situations, and innovate in various settings.
Purpose of the General Test for Creativity
The primary purpose of the General Test for Creativity is to evaluate the cognitive processes
that underlie creative thinking. The test provides insights into how individuals think, learn,
and solve problems in unconventional ways. Researchers and practitioners use the test to
achieve several objectives:
1. Educational Assessment: The GTC is often employed in academic settings to
identify students with high creative potential. This can help educators design
programs and curricula that nurture creativity and cater to diverse learning styles. For
instance, fostering creativity in education enhances problem-solving skills, critical
thinking, and adaptability among students (Torrance, 1974).
2. Organizational Applications: Creativity is a valuable asset in the workplace, where
innovation drives success. Organizations use tools like the GTC to assess employees'
creative capacities, enabling them to form dynamic teams and develop strategies that
leverage diverse thinking styles.
3. Psychological Research: Psychologists and researchers utilize the GTC to explore
the cognitive and emotional factors that contribute to creativity. Understanding these
factors aids in the development of interventions to enhance creativity across different
populations.
4. Personal Development: At an individual level, the GTC can help people understand
their creative strengths and weaknesses. By identifying areas for improvement,
individuals can work on expanding their creative potential and applying it in their
personal and professional lives.
Structure and Methodology
The General Test for Creativity typically includes tasks that assess fluency, originality,
flexibility, and elaboration—key dimensions of divergent thinking (Runco & Acar, 2012).
Participants might be asked to generate as many uses as possible for a common object (e.g., a
paperclip) or to create alternative solutions to a given problem. Scoring is based on the
quantity and quality of responses, with originality often being a critical criterion.
The GTC is grounded in the work of early creativity researchers such as Guilford (1950) and
Torrance (1966). J.P. Guilford's theory of divergent production emphasized the importance of
generating multiple answers, while E. Paul Torrance developed standardized tools like the
Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking (TTCT), which influenced the design of the GTC.
Refrences
Ogunleye, J., Michael A. Wallach, & Nathan Kogan. (n.d.). INDELIBLE CONTRIBUTIONS
TO GENERATIONAL UNDERSTANDINGS OF CREATIVITY TESTS. In CELEBRATING
GIANTS AND TRAILBLAZERS IN CREATIVITY RESEARCH AND RELATED FIELDS (pp.
782–784).

Psychologs Magazine. (2023, December 8). The Wallach-Kogan Creativity Test. Psychologs
Magazine | Mental Health Magazine | Psychology Magazine | Self-Help Magazine.

Testbook. (2024, October 22). Wallach Kogan Creativity Test : UGC NET notes and study
material. Testbook. https://testbook.com/ugc-net-psychology/wallach-kogan-creativity-test

Runco, M. A., & Acar, S. (2012). Divergent thinking as an indicator of creative potential.
Creativity Research Journal, 24(1), 66–75. https://doi.org/10.1080/10400419.2012.652929

Torrance, E. P. (1974). The search for satori and creativity. Buffalo, NY: Creative Education
Foundation.

Torrance, E. P. (1966). Torrance tests of creative thinking: Norms-technical manual.