Graham Wallas' Four-Step Model of Creative Thinking
Graham Wallas developed a theory that aimed at explaining thinking in a creative process that involves four stages. The process incorporates both conscious and subconscious states of thoughts. Wallace’s process of creative thinking ends with an individual evaluating whether the developed solution works or still needs revision. The CPS process is another model that describes the creative thinking process of the people. Alex Osborn started the model and further developed by Sid Parnes. CPS process uses both divergent and convergent approaches of thinking to provide creative ways of solving problems at every step. CPS model involves various phases that evolved over the years (Sousa et al. 671). Use of this approach also makes assumptions that every individual is creative and people can learn creative skills.
Differences in Approaches to Creative Thinking
These approaches leading to creative thinking show some differences in their components. In the Wallas’ four-step model, an individual goes through four stages while being in the conscious and subconscious state of mind. The stages proposed by Wallas include preparation, incubation, illumination, and verification (Sadler-Smith 342). The subconscious state is at the incubation stage where the brain stops all the activities towards creative thinking. However, the CPS process also has four stages but requires the individual to balance convergent and divergent thinking. The stages involved in the CPS model include clarify, ideate, develop, and implement. Thus, the individual applying this approach needs to maintain a conscious state of mind throughout the process. Therefore, the two approaches show variations in the stages involved and state of mind during these stages.
Use of Questions and Suspension of Judgment
Applying the CPS model requires an individual to keep asking questions at every stage. These questions assist in developing the best solution in the process. These questions also enhance the possibilities of various choices to use in solving the issue. Thus, the person continuously suspends judgment to enable increased possible new ideas. Besides, the individual actively considers also the available divergent options to generate the solution. However, the Wallas’ four-step model involves individuals going through the illumination stage where the individual comes up with the ideas to implement (Doak et al. 592). In this case, the person can generate new solutions after a subconscious and automatic process with illumination making them conscious again. Therefore, the person that implements the Wallas’ four-step does not suspend judgment and can only make changes through the whole process from the beginning.
Similarities in Approaches
Despite the presence of differences in these models, they also show some similarities. In both approaches, the individual begins by collecting necessary information in creative thinking. The Wallas’ four-step approach considers collecting essential data during the preparation stage. During this period, the individuals gather data from their surroundings to use in the generation of new ideas. In the CPS model, a collection of information takes place at the clarification stage (Vernon, Ian and Tresoi 2). These are the initial stages of these models, and gaining information about the issue serves as a crucial process in generating solutions.
Time Requirements
Both approaches may require a lot of time to come up with the solution to the problem. In the Wallas’ four-stage model, the individual carries out research and goes through incubation. Such stages often take a lot of time to complete. In the CPS model, an individual needs to consider varied options that arise from divergent thinking and deferring judgments. Therefore, completing the process to generate a creative solution through these approaches requires a lot of time.
Works Cited
Doak, Caralee K., et al. "Analyzing the Creative Problem-Solving Process: Inventing a Product from a Given Recyclable Item." Creative Education
4.9 (2013): 592.
Sadler-Smith, Eugene. "Wallas’ four-stage model of the creative process: More than meets the eye?." Creativity Research Journal 27.4 (2015): 342-352.
Sousa, Fernando, et al. "Learning from failure: a case study on creative problem solving." Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences 75 (2013): 570-580.
Vernon, David, Ian Hocking, and Tresoi C. Tyler. "An evidence-based review of creative problem solving tools: A practitioner’s resource." Human Resource Development Review 15.2 (2016): 230-259.
