Robert E. L. Faris

Abstract: From time to time new insights into the nature of man bring increased atten tion to man's greatness, his potential for newness, his capacity for production, his quest for the unusual and the original, and his intriguing disposition toward an interplay of the serious and the playful. Recently the area of creativity, a term that has been defined in a variety of ways, has received rather widespread interest. Possibly this emphasis results because inquiry into the many dimen sions of the creative process now reveals facets of man's being to which in adequate attention has been given. Among the individuals who have been involved in research on creativity are Jacob W. Getzels and Philip W. Jackson, educational psychologists at the Univer sity of Chicago, and E. Paul Torrance, Director of the Bureau of Educational Research at the University of Minnesota. Undoubtedly the research findings of these three scholars are among recent major contributions to the field. Hence, to have accounts of their work readily available is a real boon. Creativity and Intelligence: Explora tions with Gifted Students, by Getzels and Jackson, and Guiding Creative Talent, by Torrance, contain several common elements. The next part of this discussion deals with a few of these parallels, followed by brief summaries of the separate books and suggested uses of the works. What are the common elements in the books? First, the three authors are con cerned about the inadequacy of the pres ent IQ tests in assessing the many dimen sions of man's higher mental processes. More specifically, the writers indicate that processes or traits related to creative thinking are not measured by the tradi tional intelligence tests. These research ers, therefore, sensing the need for the development and refining of tests de signed to measure creative thinking, have made important strides in pushing back the boundaries in an area which has highly significant implications. Second, a large percentage of the re search reported by Getzels and Jackson, and that by Torrance, involved schoolaged children and youth. Getzels and Jackson report one study in detail; Tor rance uses his work and the research studies of others as a basis for recom mendations regarding the assessing and guiding of creative ability. Third, the three authors indicate a wide knowledge about previous research and theory in the area of creativity. They