Question

Answer the following questions with the help of the given points:

Explain the stages of creative thinking.

Points:

1. Preparation
2. Incubation
3. Illumination
4. Verification

Answer the following question in 80 to 100 words with the help of the given points:

Explain the stages of creative thinking

Points:

1. Preparation
2. Incubation
3. Illumination
4. Verification

Answer 1

Creative thinking is characterized by the ability to perceive the world in new ways, find hidden patterns, etc. It is a way of looking at problems or situations from a fresh/novel perspective. It involves divergent thinking that focuses on the exploration of ideas and generating many possibilities. It is referred to as “thinking outside of the box.” Researchers, poets, designers, and filmmakers always think in a creative way.

The four stages in creative thinking are:

1. Preparation: This involves formulating the problem and gathering information about it. Many tentative solutions are tried out and discarded. No progress seems to be made by the person.
2. Incubation: If the person does not get the required results, he/she may focus on things unrelated to that problem. The period helps to work out the problem without consciously thinking about it. The incubation period appears to be non-fruitful.
3. Illumination: After incubation, suddenly the correct solution appears to the person, due to which he/she experiences excitement. It seems that a solution has fallen into place.
4. Verification: The new solution may need to be evaluated a number of times. In most cases, minor changes will be required but sometimes it may demand a major overhaul of the entire process.
   For e.g., A teacher asks the students to think of unusual uses for a bottle. The students will begin brainstorming. The students will come up with many uses e.g., to store liquids, to hold plants, etc. But these are not unusual uses. They will give up and focus on something else. The students will suddenly find novel uses for the bottle e.g., juggling, etc. The students will verify these solutions with their teacher.

Answer 2

1. Preparation: It is the stage of formulating the problem and gathering information, materials, etc. for finding new solutions. Creative ideas do not come from a vacuum. Many tentative solutions are tried out and discarded. No progress seems to be made in this stage.
2. Incubation: After preparation, a person starts working on a problem but may not get the required solution. This initial failure leads to the stage of incubation. During this stage the person is so frustrated that he/she thinks of giving up. The person then leaves the problem and focuses on other things which are unrelated to the problem. Incubation may help the person to work on the problem without consciously thinking about it. This period, though appears to be non-fruitful, is followed by a period of sudden appearance of the solution.
3. Illumination: After incubation, suddenly, like a flash of light, the correct solution appears in front of the mind’s eye and the person experiences a rush of excitement. All the bits and pieces of ideas which appeared to be unrelated earlier fall into place. The solution that appears is nearly next to perfect. A person experiences an emotional reaction of joy, knowing that he/she has found a new idea, a solution.
4. Verification: Following the euphoria of previous stage, the new solution still needs to be tested. In most cases it requires only minor changes. But sometimes it may require a lifetime of study, testing and retesting.