Correlations between Creativity and Mental Illness Essay

Emotional intelligence is the ability of a person to recognize and assess their, and others’ emotions. It enables an individual to distinguish between the different sentiments they exhibit and being able to label them. The theory of Emotional Intelligence (EI) was originally developed by psychologists Howard Gardner, Peter Salovey and John Mayer. Later, a science journalist, Daniel Goleman identified and came up with five domains of emotional intelligence:

Describe thinking, intelligence, and creativity. How are thinking, intelligence, and creativity related? Does one’s creativity illustrate anything about his or her thinking processes or level of intelligence? Why or why not? Your response must be at least 300 words.

In the context of creativity’s stated definition, we will proceed to group our arguments into three themes of factors: cognitive ability, expertise training, and environmental conditions. The human brain is highly adaptable and can continue to develop new cognitive abilities, even past adulthood (Norman, 2015). Proper cognitive expertise and training can help workers produce and operate in ingenious ways (Ginamarie, Lertiz & Mumford, 2004). Finally, the working environment can both motivate or stifle creative output. Managers can influence all three components: expertise, thinking skills, and motivation (Amabile, 1998).

What is emotional intelligence? EI is the capacity to be aware of, control, and express one's emotions, and to handle interpersonal relationships judiciously and empathetically; thus, compared to Daniel Goleman's definition to emotional intelligence are very similar just in more detail.

Emotional intelligence is the ability to recognize feelings and judge which feelings are appropriate for a given situation.

In this essay I will explore the correlation between intelligence (IQ) and creativity (DT), and whether one is influenced or can be predicted by the existence of the other. The relationship between IQ (intelligence quotient) and creativity has been an anchor point for psychological research. Numerous amounts of psychologists have carried out research in order to find evidence to support this idea of a correlation or evidence to disprove the hypothesis that IQ and creativity could be related.

1292). However, this study, being the first of it’s kind, came with its limitations. Andreason had started out looking for a connection between schizophrenia and creativity. She believed since schizophrenia often led to unusual perceptions, this would increase creativity. Her findings in this area went against her hypothesis. She examined that most schizophrenics she studied did not exhibit enough mental stability to produce original ideas, rather purely bizarre ones. In fact, she believed that mental impairments associated with schizophrenia inhibited one’s creative abilities. While I see her point in this, I know that schizophrenia affects individuals on a spectrum. Therefor, in certain cases, I believe more research can be done on this aspect. Andreason also only studied writers, which can not hardly account for the wide span of creative fields. But, she did make headway with the assertion of a true biological connection between creativity and a mental disorder. This got the ball rolling in the scientific community, prompting more researchers to explore the link.

Emotional intelligence (EI) or emotional quotient (EQ) is the ability…or capacity of individuals to realize their own emotions and the emotions of those around them to use emotional information to guide thinking and behavior appropriately.

Today’s education system has become focused on standardized intelligence testing and what works best for the majority. This system, although created to help the masses, is impersonal and only benefits a specific group of students who learn the best through testing. Those students who think creatively and use imagination are left behind. This is why intelligence tests are not accurate measurement of a child’s knowledge as it does not account for creativity and the child’s individual strengths. Changes need to be made within the school system. Instead of focusing on what is “correct” schools should be encouraging problem-solving through the process of making mistakes and failing. This challenges a student to learn about themselves and the world around them. When everything is already laid out for them it is easy to follow. There is no single way of thinking. By making a student have to think on their own it stimulates creativity and allows them to better connect concepts to real world situations.

Men have called me mad, but the question is not yet settled, whether madness is or is not the loftiest intelligence--whether much that is glorious--whether all that is profound--does not spring from disease of thought--from moods of mind exalted at the expense of the general intellect. Those who dream by day are cognizant of many things which escape those who dream only by night - Edgar Allen Poe

Creativity is a pervasion of humanity; a solid expression of individualism, and a refreshing glimpse of opportunity. It is through creativity that doors are opened and new connections and relationships are made. Creativity is an aspiration amongst individuals, corporations, and a solution to many societal problems. It fosters change and creates an avenue for others to follow. Through an extensive analysis of paintings, lyrics, and other pieces of literature, fundamental principles about the brain and its systematic way of processing have surfaced leaving many to wonder if there is correlation between individuality and mental illness.

Emotional intelligence refers to capacity for recognizing our own feelings and those of others, for motivating ourselves and for managing emotions well in ourselves and in our relationship. (Goleman, 1995)

The notion that mental illness and creativity are linked is so prominent in the public consciousness that it is rarely challenged but is this true? Some of our greatest writers, poets, musicians and artist suffered from mental illness like Beethoven, Vincent Van Gogh and Picasso. There are some researches who claim that there is a link between mental illness and creativity. Those researchers are often criticize being told they involve small, highly specialized samples with weak and inconsistent methodologies and a strong dependence on subjective and anecdotal accounts. Biologically individuals who are creative most of the time are prone to some type of mental illness at least that is what is portrayed. Mental illness and creativity are connected

Creative intelligence is an innate characteristic with which we are born; this is an aspect in the development of our mental

Creative ideas are the result of a wide-ranged experimentation on the part of our subconscious. These brilliant life-changing ideas are generated, bizarrely truthful, inside us which are strengthened and created by our experiences and thoughts. The brain desires to come up with innovative thoughts.