KnoWING - Part 6 (TyPes of CreaTive ImagiNations)

According to science, developing imagination requires commitment, constancy and effort, (almost always) with excellent results. How you do it?

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The masterpieces of Vincent van Gogh and the scientific thought of Albert Einstein have one thing in common: genius . Certainly in the geniality there is always something that escapes definitions, but is it possible to train the imagination and enhance the creative thinking? According to science, yes . As long as you understand if you have a creative imagination, imaginary or episodic, and then apply some tricks (even if tiring!).

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IMAGINE YOU CAN

What is called "creative imagination" develops in two moments. In the first, creative observes the problem from different angles: the scientist poses questions, gathers ideas, points of view, suggestions; the artist who feels the need to create something not yet well defined, instead collects ideas, observes, accumulates experiences, stories and data that one day perhaps will use.
For neurophysiologists this phase involves lateral thinking , or lateral (or divergent) thinking, a type of thinking that does not follow the rules of logic, but is instinctive, capable of establishing free associations between things.

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METHOD OR NOT?

At this fascinating and suggestive stage must follow another more analytical and tiring ( convergent thought ): those who have a creative mind can not limit themselves to gathering ideas, but must critically evaluate them, analyzing them one by one rationally. To do so, ask the help of a group of experts or call on the experience. Genius is therefore not only unruliness, but also method.

" learn the rules like a professional, so you can break them like an artist ".

By Pablo Picasso

Training this type of imagination gives good results: the longer you think about a topic (even accepting to make mistakes), the more you can develop innovative and original thoughts. And some experimental studies have shown that the sooner you start, the better it is: those who started out as a child to do this exercise have an advantage, especially if they have observed the work of more creative people.

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WITH THE HEAD ON THE CLOUDS

Another kind of imagination is the fantastic one. In these cases the genius is completely immersed in his project, neglecting everything else, as if he lived in an imaginary world. This explains the story told about the Greek philosopher Thales (VI BC) ... so immersed in his thoughts that he ended up in a well.
Developing an excess of magical thinking has contraindications, primarily that of denying reality , but also reserves some advantages. In adults, in fact, it enhances memory, problem solving and planning .

Even in this case, the sooner you start to develop it, the better: the children who have been encouraged by their parents to participate in fictional or role-playing games, growing up have higher levels of fantasy predisposition , like the aspiring actors.

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MENTAL TRIPS

One last type of imagination is episodic. It is based on the recovery of real episodes from individuals past .
In this case the creative does not dive into an imaginary world, but reconsiders our own experience, imagining alternative paths. The past thus becomes an opportunity to learn, improve and plan our future.
In making this effort of creativity more than the goal, the method counts. This is also confirmed by a study : in a research carried out to evaluate the power of imagination, it emerged that the students who fantasized only on the desired results (good grades for an imminent test), behaved worse than the students who imagined the most effective path to achieve the results (ie imagining to study thoroughly).

Not surprisingly, a creative thinker Thomas Edison, had said: “genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration” And he was referring to the sweat.

TO BE CONTINUED!!!!

Big Thanks to @syndicates for this cool Badge