Explaining Creativity: The Science of Human Innovation [Paperback]

R. Keith Sawyer (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 12, 2012 | ISBN-10: 0199737576 | ISBN-13: 978-0199737574 | Edition: 2

Explaining Creativity is an accessible introduction to the latest scientific research on creativity. The book summarizes and integrates a broad range of research in psychology and related scientific fields. In the last 40 years, psychologists, anthropologists, and sociologists have devoted increased attention to creativity; we now know more about creativity than at any point in history. Explaining Creativity considers not only arts like painting and writing, but also science, stage performance, business innovation, and creativity in everyday life.

Sawyer's approach is interdisciplinary. In addition to examining psychological studies on creativity, he draws on anthropologists' research on creativity in non-Western cultures, sociologists' research on the situations, contexts, and networks of creative activity, and cognitive neuroscientists' studies of the brain. He moves beyond the individual to consider the social and cultural contexts of creativity, including the role of collaboration in the creative process.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Sawyer has put together a mountain of research from a variety of fields to create a unified approach to understanding how people manage to do something different. His book is readable and learned, origninal, but mindful of its relation to all that other work, and well worth the attention of anyone who wants to think seriously about innovation in the arts and in social organizations."
--Howard S. Becker, author of Art Worlds, Tricks of the Trade, and Outsiders

"An extremely knowledgable, wide-ranging, integrative summary of how the social sciences understand creativity. Keith Sawyer has again produced an intelligent and valuable contribution to knowledge. This is a volume that any scholar or lay-person interested in what creativity entails will want to have."
--Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, Founding Co-Director, Quality of Life Research Center, and Distinguised Professor of Psychology and Management, School of Behavioral & Organizational Sciences, Claremont Graduate University

"With the publication of Explaining Creativity, Keith Sawyer has emerged as the leading young scholar and proponent of a sociocultural approach to the study of creativity. And with his remarkable grasp of this young field, Professor Sawyer has written the most comprehensive and compelling work on creativity studies in years."
--David Henry Feldman, Professor, Eliot-Pearson Department of Child Development, Tufts University, and author of Changing the World

"Without doubt Explaining Creativity is the most comprehensive single-volume presentation of what we know about the creative process, person, and product. Besides that, the book is extremely well written. It would be my first recommendation for anyone fascinated with creativity in all of its complexities and manifestations. There's simply nothing better out there for either specialist or general reader."
--Dean Keith Simonton, Distinguished Professor, Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, and author of Origins of Genius

"R. Keith Sawyer's second edition of Explaining Creativity: The Science of Human Innovation is so expanded that it is a truly different book from the first edition. The first edition was (correctly) praised and appreciated; the second edition is required reading for anyone interested in the topic. In a just world, Sawyer's thorough and nuanced volume would be the best seller... Sawyer's book is easily the most thorough creativity text on the market." -- James C. Kaufman and Alexandra S. McKay, PsycCRITIQUES

About the Author

R. Keith Sawyer, a professor of psychology, education, and business at Washington University in St. Louis, is one of the world's leading scientific experts on creativity. He combines this scientific expertise with a strong hands-on background in real-world creativity. After receiving his computer science degree from MIT in 1982, he began his career with a two-year stint designing videogames for Atari. In 1990, Dr. Sawyer began his doctoral studies in psychology, studying creativity with Dr. Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. Dr. Sawyer has also been a jazz pianist for over 20 years, and spent several years playing piano with Chicago improv theater groups.

Product Details

• Paperback: 568 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA; 2 edition (January 12, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0199737576
• ISBN-13: 978-0199737574
• Product Dimensions: 7.1 x 1.1 x 10 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #110,789 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Dr. Keith Sawyer is one of the world's leading scientific experts on creativity and innovation. In his first job after graduating from MIT, he designed videogames for Atari. He then worked for 6 years as a management consultant in Boston and New York, advising large corporations on the strategic use of information technology. He's been a jazz pianist for over 30 years, and performed with several improv theater groups in Chicago, as part of his research into jazz and improvisational theater.

In addition to ZIG ZAG, his books include GROUP GENIUS and EXPLAINING CREATIVITY, and he has published over 80 scientific articles.

Dr. Sawyer is a professor of education, psychology, and business at Washington University in St. Louis.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic! This is an excerpt from PsycCritiques review I wrote with Alex McKay October 10, 2012

By James C. Kaufman

Format:Paperback

Most second editions involve revisions and updating; perhaps there is a new chapter or section reflecting new concepts or ideas. R. Keith Sawyer's second edition of Explaining Creativity: The Science of Human Innovation is so expanded that it is truly a different book than the first edition. The first edition was (correctly) praised and appreciated; the second edition is required reading for anyone interested in the topic...
Several themes emerge throughout Explaining Creativity. Sawyer discusses ten beliefs associated with the Western perspective of creativity and presents the evidence to empirically dispel or support these beliefs. He likewise, has five chapters focusing on creativity in five domains that are central to creativity (visual arts, writing, music, theatre, and science). He also touches on many different areas that will be of great interest to different readers. He includes two chapters on the biology and cognitive neuroscience of creativity, a chapter on computer simulations of creativity, and chapters that discuss creativity work in education, organizations, and everyday life.
Sawyer's book is easily the most thorough creativity text on the market... We highly recommend this book.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Best Book on Creativity Out There January 20, 2013

By Jeffrey Fajans

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

Hands down the best book on creativity out there. I am talking about REAL, scientific and research-based stuff on creativity, not things like finding your inner power animal or unleashing one's spirit.

Sawyer synthesizes basically all of the scientific work done investigating creativity into a well-written, easy to understand handbook.

I will be re-reading and referencing this book for years and years.

Thanks Keith!

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Remarkably comprehensive and a pleasure to read November 21, 2012

By Doc J

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

In creativity research, which can often be vague, noisy and confusing, it's rare to find a text that's not only comprehensive and well-organized, but written with a minimum of jargon and a maximum of common sense. This results in a fresh look at the famous claims people have made over the years, as well as a remarkable breadth of coverage: everything from the sociocultural, individual, and biological aspects of creativity, to the many ways people have tried to measure it. There are even some straightforward, practical guidelines for becoming more creative oneself.

Along the way, Sawyer also solidly debunks some major misconceptions, like the simplistic belief that creativity resides only in the right side of the brain. Moreover, his inside knowledge of music (he's a jazz pianist) enables him to go deeper than most writers when describing the artistic process.

As the author of THE INSANITY HOAX: EXPOSING THE MYTH OF THE MAD GENIUS, I particularly appreciate Sawyer's slam-dunk of the notion that great talent requires great psychopathology. This is the primary focus of my book, while it's just one of his many concerns, but we do criticize the same shoddy research that keeps this unfortunate stereotype in the public mind.

All told, this book is a refreshing change from the usual psychology text: although it's packed full with solid information, it's easy to navigate, and a genuine pleasure to read.

5.0 out of 5 stars Really interesting May 5, 2013

By solveig sukke pettersen

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

Scientific in deept, thoroughly
Like the approach
likes also the chapter with a overview and collection of the reaschers of the theme

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book February 10, 2013

By Joe Russell

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

Essential primer for the study of creativity. You will not be sorry that you got this book if you are serious about this subject.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A comprehensive tome February 3, 2013

By Jane Jennings

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

An in depth study which I would highly recommend to anyone doing research in this subject. Possibly the most thorough book I've read on this topic.