Creative thinking and problem-solving abilities: their relationship with psychological traits among 10th-grade students in Oman
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Date
2010
Authors
Muslem Alkiyumi, Mohammed Talib
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Abstract
Recently, much attention has been focused on the personality approach of studying
creativity. Previous studies have shown a positive association between some of traits and creative potential. The current study sought to investigate the relationship between
psychological traits: intrinsic motivation (lM), curiosity (CU), and self-image (SI), and
creative thinking abilities: fluency and originality as stated in the Torrance test of creative thinking (TTCT) and two abilities of creative production on problem-solving test: novelty and appropriateness. The within-groups design was used to study the correlation.
The investigator employed five assessment tools, namely, work preference inventory for
assessing intrinsic motivation, multidimensional curiosity inventory, the Offer self-image
questionnaire, the TTCT, and a problem-solving test developed by the researcher. In the problem-solving test, three real and open-ended problems within the content areas of Arabic, Social Studies, and Science were provided to the subjects.
This study was conducted among 10th-grade students in Sultanate of Oman. The population
is the total number of 10th-grade students in two districts. The sample size was 367
male/female students selected by clustering sampling from eight schools (four urban and four rural). Two classes are randomly selected from each school. Pearson r correlation, multivariate analysis of variance (MANOV A), and multiple regression were used to analyse students' responses.
The study showed that independent variables: intrinsic motivation, curiosity, and selfimage were related positively with creative thinking abilities: fluency and originality, and problem-solving abilities: novelty and appropriateness. Significant differences were found between rural and urban schools in creative thinkjng and problem-solving abilities. Significant differences were obtained between male and female in creative thinking abilities but not in problem-solving abilities. Factors of intrinsic motivation, curiosity, and gender significantly predicted the total score of TTCT and PST, but self image and school type were not. On the other hand, intrinsic motivation, curiosity, and self-image were significantly added to the prediction of total score of TTCT and PST over the gender and school type. Based on the model used in this study which derived from the theoretical standpoints, the results have supported the important role of students' psychological traits in their creative potential. Therefore, the study recommends that the policy makers in the ministry of Education in Oman review their methodology in enhancing creativity among students by giving more attention to the students' psychological traits. The implications of this study hope to be a starting point of the arduous journey in understanding and developing creativity among students in Oman.