Before the Gates of Excellence: The Determinants of Creative Genius / Edition 1

by R. A. Ochse

Overview

Before the Gates of Excellence is an exceptionally well-written and lively account of the nature of productive creativity or 'genius'. It is a comprehensive survey of knowledge about productive creativity: it explores the theoretical concepts of creativity and the creative process, and attempts to explain the determining factors. Almost all schools of thought and methodological approaches are represented. The facts and ideas discussed are drawn not only from the findings of psychological research but also from biographical studies, autobiographical accounts and personal documents, illustrating the interacting influences of social environments, personality, life experiences, etc. This clear and comprehensive account of the determinants and processes of creativity will appeal to undergraduates and graduate students of psychology and is readily accessible to the general reader.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780521376990
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
Publication date:	01/26/1990
Series:	Cambridge Greek and Latin Classics
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	312
Product dimensions:	5.43(w) x 8.39(h) x 0.79(d)

Table of Contents

Prologue; Modern conceptions of creativity; The focus of this book; Part I. Perspective: 1. Genius and creativity: historical perspective of theory and research; 2. Methods used in research on productive creators; Part II. The Creative Person: 3. Social background; 4. The home environment; 5. Education and career; 6. Characteristics of creative achievers; 7. The creator's motivation; 8. The developmental pattern; Part III. Creative Thinking and Inspiration: 9. Stages in creative problem-solving; 10. Specific abilities and processes involved in creative problem-solving; 11. Traditional views of the role of unconscious processes; 12. Unconscious processing and inspiration: a new interpretation; Epilogue; References; Indexes.