Internal Auditing...Body,Mind and Beyond..The Power of Creativity and Conformity - .Series -3

 

The Power of Creativity and Conformity

Human survival and evolution have long been shaped by two contrasting forces: conformity and creativity. While conformity ensures cooperation and shared norms, creativity drives innovation and adaptation. This dynamic interplay has enabled humans to thrive despite formidable challenges.

Imagine coming face-to-face with a tiger—an apex predator that has existed for two million years. Humans, appearing around the same time, lacked the physical strength to combat such threats. So how did we survive? One answer is conformity. Psychological research shows that humans naturally align with social norms, fostering collaboration, learning from others, and creating shared cultures.

A famous demonstration of conformity features a hidden-camera TV show where actors stand facing the back of an elevator. A random individual unknowingly follows their lead, illustrating how deeply ingrained social behaviors can be. Conformity has evolutionary advantages—it enables teamwork, facilitates learning through observation, and establishes collective values. However, if humans only conformed, growth and progress would stagnate.

Enter creativity, a defining trait of human history. The earliest tools, such as the flake tool invented 2.5 million years ago, were simplistic and lasted for over a million years. Eventually, a creative mind imagined something better—the hand axe—marking a significant advancement in toolmaking. But the true creative explosion occurred around 40,000 years ago when Homo sapiens applied imagination beyond survival, leading to advancements in art, technology, and culture.

Creativity isn't merely an innate trait—it can be developed. Research in deliberate creativity suggests that structured training can enhance creative thinking. Studies at Buffalo State show that students who undergo creativity-focused courses exhibit cognitive gains, proving that creativity is a skill that can be refined.

The human mind relies on divergent thinking (generating varied ideas) and convergent thinking (selecting the best solutions). These processes mirror evolution itself—variation and selection leading to progress. Despite possessing this ability, humans often struggle to think creatively due to premature judgment and fear of criticism. In meetings, innovative ideas are frequently dismissed with phrases like “We’ve tried that before” or “That’s too risky”, stifling potential breakthroughs.

To cultivate creativity, two essential practices can help:

1. Defer Judgment – Avoid immediate criticism of ideas to allow space for innovation.
2. Embrace Quantity – Generating multiple solutions increases the likelihood of discovering effective ones.

Ultimately, while conformity keeps societies stable, creativity propels humanity forward. Balancing these forces is crucial for innovation and progress in both personal and collective endeavors.

The Power of Creativity in Human Progress

Creativity has long been a driving force behind human innovation and survival. Researcher Dean Simonton explored what distinguishes eminently creative individuals from the rest, and one key difference emerged: highly creative people generate far more ideas.

Consider Picasso, who produced over 20,000 works of art, or Shakespeare, with 154 sonnets and 37 plays. Visionary inventors like Edison and George Washington Carver developed numerous ideas, a few of which reshaped the world. Even Hemingway reportedly wrote 40 different endings to For Whom the Bell Tolls before choosing the right one. Nobel laureate Linus Pauling captured this idea best:

"The best way to have a good idea is to have lots of ideas."

Creativity and Evolution

Creativity is deeply intertwined with human evolution. Early tools, like the flake tool, were used for 1.4 million years, but human innovation eventually led to the hand axe, advancing survival and efficiency. Today, we cannot afford to wait millennia for the next breakthrough—modern products undergo redesigns within 5 to 10 years, and technology evolves every 6 to 12 months.

This rapid pace demands deliberate creativity, meaning humans must consciously cultivate ideas rather than wait for inspiration to strike. A recent global Adobe study found that 80% of people believe creativity is essential for economic growth, yet only one in four felt they were living up to their creative potential. Surprisingly, 59% of participants felt schools stifled their creativity, with the U.S. reporting an even higher number at 62%.

The Creativity Challenge

Psychologist Mark Runco explains that many educational systems prioritize convergent thinking—finding a single right answer—over divergent thinking, which generates multiple possibilities. While conformity helps societies function, excessive conformity limits creative problem-solving. In an age of standardization, are schools inadvertently training students to be good conformists rather than independent thinkers?

To make creativity personal, reflect on your own habits:

• Do you approach problems flexibly?
• Do you seek new experiences?
• Are you open-minded to unconventional ideas?

You may never have to wrestle a tiger, but life presents complex challenges. Creativity equips individuals to navigate obstacles, evolve solutions, and innovate. As JP Guilford, a pioneer in creativity research, wisely stated:

"To live is to have problems, and to solve problems is to grow creatively."

Evolution has not made humans the strongest or the fastest—but it has gifted us the power of creativity. Developing this skill deliberately ensures greater success in tackling life’s complexities and shaping the future.

Warm regards.

To be continued.......