Explaining Creativity

Abstract Given the heightened complexity and uncertainty of the world we live in, creativity, or the ability to develop new and effective ideas, products, or solutions, has grown in societal interest internationally. There is a recognition of the need for creative problem solving to address complex problems, and thus, new areas of creativity studies and applications have rapidly emerged. Creativity is increasingly recognized as a highly coveted and prized skill for the future of work and life. This book builds on the essential foundations of creativity research and practice that were established in the first and second editions of the book. It provides an up-to-date and exhaustive review of research findings, as well as chapters on new topics were not included in prior books: technology, wellbeing, and self-beliefs. Explaining Creativity takes an interdisciplinary approach that explains concepts, topics and themes related to creativity in ways that are accessible to students and non-experts, yet thorough and detailed enough to be useful to academics or other experts. This broad and practical, yet still detailed, approach covers a broad terrain of the creativity landscape, investigating core aspects of creative cognition, creative practice, and social and cultural contexts for creativity.