Guest Lecture - Rex Jung
Marie Reyes
Dr. Jung gave a talk concerning intelligence and creativity as separate entities of
consciousness. He asserts that these two subjects are isolates of each other, though one
can follow the other. Specifically, he claims that creativity is not dependent on intelligence
and vice versa. Jung argues that a high IQ score is not indicative of a creative person
and that a high IQ score is an accurate measure of intellectual capability (intelligence).
His claim is based on the finding that, in western cultures, the IQ test is highly predictive
of later life success according to published studies in the behavioral sciences. Namely,
Jung cites the Wexler intelligence test for being especially indicative of intelligence.
Jung states that creativity is the ability to develop useful and novel ideas and uses this
as a measure of creativity. He names different types of creativity and people who represent
these forms. For example, he used Miles Davis to show that people can be creative in an
improvisational realm. Jung also set out to dispel the myth of the creative psychotic: a
person that, due to mental illness, has the ability to be more creative than other people
without mental illness. Jung then discussed morphological differences that correlate with
increased creativity. Changes in the frontal cortex (shrinking, loss of tissue) has shown
a strong correlation to increases in creativity as demonstrated by the woman painter whose
creative painting ability increased after a morphological change in this region. Jung also
discussed how increases in cortical tissue can occur after learning a new skill as in the
case of juggling. Jung asserts that in order to develop something creative and intelligent
that you have employ the use of 5 P's:
Prepare
Practice
Play
Produce
Persevere
Questions I did not ask:
- Do you think that because this is only useful in western cultures (the IQ test) that
it actually measures intelligence? Wouldn't a more accurate test of the ability to problem
solve be applicable across many different cultures?
- It seems to me that the IQ test is somewhat of a self fulfilling prophecy, it was
created with a construct of ideas that this society values (it follows a set of rules set
forth by our society). To me, it seems to measure the quickness in which an individual
can adapt to a set of parameters set before them by another person and that it doesn't
really say anything about measuring intelligence itself. What about the test do you think
measures intelligence and why?
- Einstein might have completely bombed the IQ test when he was young, wasn't he unable
to read until he was 7? Do you think this woudl have accurately been able to test his potential?
- Einstein said (supposively) that "imagination is more important than knowledge," this
really made me think about what you said regarding intelligence being able to be measured
by monetary successes or awards (like a good job). Unless I misunderstood?
I think that people can certainly be knowledgeable and because of that achieve success but
they may not necessarily be all that intelligent/creative. I feel that creativity, imagination
are actually innate to intelligence and that perhaps what you are referred to is someone
being knowledgeable. Can you clarify your definition of intelligence?
- You stated that there is no evidence to support the theories of multiple intelligences,
do you think that perhaps it is because we haven't figured out a way to accurately measure
this? Or do you believe that there is no such thing as multiple intelligences? Why?
Future Directions:
- I would like to see a study done on highly creative people (maybe some famous artists or something) and see scan activity of their brains while they are sketching etc.
- I would like to see further testing of the reliability of the IQ test.
- Perhaps place people that score high on IQ versus those who score lower but perhaps work with their hands in a technically demanding way (like carpenters) and set them to do a field test of problem solving (no paper, no strange word scrambles etc) just real world examples/ problems and see who fairs the best.
- I would also like to see a test developed that can be applicable cross culturally, not just in western cultures.
- I would also like to see further research on how to test for multiple intelligences.
