Young adults' perceptions and interactions with creativity-enhancing environments.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to gain insight into the environments young adults find conducive to creative endeavours. Adolescents, parents, teachers, educational systems, and society as a whole would benefit from a deeper understanding of how creative individuals interact with, shape and seek out environments to fulfil their various creative needs. The present project was guided by an interactionist model of creative behaviour (Woodman & Schoenfeldt, 1989) which takes into account the four major strands of inquiry involved in creativity research and provides a conceptual framework for their holistic study. The focus of the present study was primarily on environmental determinants of creativity as perceived by the participants; however, some consideration was given to the remaining three areas of creative research, namely, person, process, and product. To this end, a qualitative study employing grounded theory methods was adopted. The research design adheres most closely to the social constructionist interpretation and application of the grounded theory method as outlined by Charmaz (1990). Thirteen creative seniors selected from a local city high school were interviewed. Insights from these interviews are divided into three sections. First, in section I, a method for identifying creative individuals within a high school is developed and discussed. In section II, an environmental process model of creativity is illustrated. Last, in section III, implications for educational systems as well as creativity research in general, are examined and practical avenues of action are suggested.