Divergent Thinking as an Indicator of Creative Potential

TLDR

Divergent thinking tests are widely used in creativity research as reliable, though not definitive, predictors of creative performance, with validity varying by specific criteria. The article details the criteria strongly associated with divergent thinking. The authors review psychometric evidence, outline the uses and limitations of divergent thinking, and describe recent alternative tests and scoring procedures, linking related processes such as problem finding and evaluative thinking.

Abstract

Divergent thinking (DT) tests are very often used in creativity studies. Certainly DT does not guarantee actual creative achievement, but tests of DT are reliable and reasonably valid predictors of certain performance criteria. The validity of DT is described as reasonable because validity is not an all-or-nothing attribute, but is, instead, a matter of degree. Also, validity only makes sense relative to particular criteria. The criteria strongly associated with DT are detailed in this article. It also summarizes the uses and limitations of DT, conceptually and psychometrically. After the psychometric evidence is reviewed, alternative tests and scoring procedures are described, including several that have only recently been published. Throughout this article related processes, such as problem finding and evaluative thinking, are linked to DT.