Creative Thought: An Investigation of Conceptual Structures and Processes

by Thomas B. Ward (Editor)

Creative thinking is essential for scientific, technological and artistic accomplishment, and it enables us to adapt to changes in our work situations and personal lives. This edited book examines recent research on conceptual structures and processes and sheds light on the nature of creative thought. The chapters are grouped in four parts covering conceptual combination, conceptual expansion, metaphor and analogy. Although other works have provided much information on the more receptive aspects of cognition, this volume is unique in its focus on the more generative aspects of our thought processes (for example, how we use concepts to develop new ideas). Creative Thought should be a valuable resource for cognitive psychologists, researchers and psycholinguists.

567 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1997