Confusion, Lack of Consensus, and the Definition of Creativity as a Construct

ABSTRACT Among the changes employers say are needed in the educational preparation of American young people to meet the evolving needs of the workplace is improvement in the development of individual creativity and creative thinking. However, a variety of definitions for creativity exist, hindering a consistent educational response. The major areas of controversy concerning creativity's definition are reviewed here, in roughly chronological order corresponding to the publication of each definition of significant influence. Each definition's reasons for failing to achieve widespread acceptance are analyzed, and a suggestion for a general definition of the sort that should be widely acceptable is provided.