Note 4. Creative Geniuses: Nurture or Nature?

It is a common idea that geniuses are born with genetically superior talents and abilities than other people and that their environment could not have produced such a sophisticated capacity in a person. Creative geniuses usually do show advanced abilities in certain areas, for example musicians would need to have manual proficiency in music, and writers would need a good facility of language. However, it is not true that their learning doesn’t count for anything. It is not true that creative people sit around waiting for that spark of inspiration to arrive fully developed. In short, they may be born with a strong aptitude for something, but all of them have undergone training and learning. And according to Dr. Rothenberg, virtually all of them go to college. Dr. Rothenberg also points out that virtually all creators have had their talent aided along by their upbringing and environment (1990: 10)

Dr. Rothenberg goes on to state that the major findings of his work “… are particular and specific thought processes used by creative people during the process of creation; this applies to the whole spectrum of disciplines, areas and media.” (1990: 11)

These special thought processes are what makes highly creative people different from other people. These special forms of thinking, or “creative cognition” as Dr. Rothenberg labels it, is responsible for two jobs. One process is responsible for growing creative ideas and the other is responsible for “producing metaphors and other unified structures in both artistic and scientific types of endeavor “ (1990: 11). Dr. Rothenberg admits he does “…not know whether the talent for having creative thoughts, the special factor of creativity itself, is inherited” (1990: 10). But. Rothenberg also states that at least one of these processes can be learned. Environmental influences, especially from the family, can in reality stimulate such special forms of thinking. A family that nurtures creative thinking will emphasize unusual modes of thinking. They often have significant inconsistencies in what family members say and feel and what they actually do feel. The child then learns to become insightful to hidden messages by the people in their family or environment; for example by taking note of body language. This type of family environment – where the child has to learn to be receptive to implicit messages from parental figures - could foster psychosis if both the parents are disturbed. However the creative person will have at least one mentally healthy parent.

Interestingly, the benchmark of family influence is that there will almost always be a parent who is interested in a creative field and then either did not try hard at it, or tried and failed. Pay attention here parents: these parents may have had other jobs but they played at writing poems, or journals. They told stories. They painted as a hobby. They worked puzzles, or carried out scientific experiments. The child saw the interest demonstrated by the parent, and while perhaps born with a genetic aptitude for that skill, the child learned the discipline due to his or her family environment. In many cases it could be seen as a creative person’s decision to fulfill that parent’s “implicit, unrealized yearnings” (1990:13).

Parents frequently ask me, “How can I encourage my child’s creative ability?” My answer, which is based on these readings and my experience as a teacher, is to demonstrate creative or original thinking to your child. Verbalize your thought processes to your child and let them see your creativity. Bring them into the conversation. Then give them the tools they need to begin something they are interested in. It needs to be something they want to do – not what you want them to want to do. Don’t be discouraged if they lose interest. Applaud their attempts. Find something good to say about their work – don’t be overly critical, but be honest. I repeat, always find something positive to say about a sincere attempt on their part- even if you just tell them it was a good try. Let them enter contests with their work. Encourage them by asking them what they think. Don’t become too controlling – remember there is a thin line between a family that fosters creativity and one that fosters psychosis! Let’s all aim for mentally healthy children!