Study: Preschoolers Aren't More Creative, Just More Confident
New research indicates that adults may produce more original ideas, but children exhibit higher confidence and less anxiety during creative tasks.
Preschoolers are not inherently more creative than adults, but they tend to approach creative tasks with greater confidence and less self-consciousness, according to a study from the University of Graz in Austria. The research suggests that adults' awareness of potential judgment can inhibit their creative flow, while children's lack of this inhibition allows for more uninhibited idea generation.
The study involved 92 preschoolers and 70 adults who were given three creative assignments. Participants were asked to brainstorm uses for a tin can, draw anything they wished, and invent a unique fantasy animal. These creations were then evaluated by trained raters for novelty, effectiveness, and overall creativity.
While adults ultimately scored higher on measures of creativity and originality, producing more unique ideas such as complex fantasy animals, preschoolers reported significantly more enjoyment during the tasks. They also expressed higher levels of "creative confidence" and lower levels of anxiety compared to their adult counterparts.
Mathias Benedek, one of the study's authors, noted that adults may assess their creativity more realistically, but this self-monitoring can be accompanied by worry about evaluation, which can hinder idea generation. He observed that children often begin creative projects without extensive planning, unlike adults who may prefer a clearer objective.
The study, published in PLOS One, proposes that the common perception of children being more creative might stem from their enthusiasm and frequent engagement in artistic activities, rather than superior innate ability. Benedek suggested that this enthusiasm is akin to how someone is labeled "sporty" based on regular participation rather than just competition results.
Benedek expressed hope that the findings would help move beyond simplistic notions of adult uncreativity or schools stifling children's creativity. He concluded by posing the question of how to maintain creative confidence and curiosity throughout adulthood.