Creativity: self-perceptions over time

Abstract

This study explores creativity and motivation in the second half of life. While many quantitative studies on creativity show decline with advancing age, there is some evidence that creativity may change qualitatively over time. The purpose of this study is to elucidate self-perceived changes in creativity over the life span. The participants included visual artists, both working and retired. A total of 21 adults, ages 53 to 75, participated in the study. Ten of the artists were interviewed in depth regarding the perception of their own creativity over time. Another 11 artists participated in two separate focus groups. All of the participants represented their perceived creativity using an adaptation of the Creative Life-Line Curve (CLLC; Romaniuk, Romaniuk, Sprecher, & Cones, 1983). Findings indicated that participants do not perceive a decline in creativity with age. In-depth analysis of the interviews included qualitative coding to establish a number of themes that permeated the self-perceptions regarding changes in creativity over time. These themes were found to exemplify many of the concepts inherent in the life-span developmental perspective.