A continuum of adaptive creative behaviors

Abstract: The most common definitions of creativity—the production of something new or rare or that of divergent thinking—do not bridge the gap between childhood and adulthood. A developmental continuum is proposed to span the creativity of childhood to the creativity found in adults. The range of adaptive behaviors along this continuum are related by the common element of discontinuity, but differ in adaptation, purpose, novelty, value, speed, and structure. Seven levels are proposed: Learning something new; universal novelty; making connections that are rare compared to peers; developing talents; developing heuristics; producing information; creating by extending a field; and creating by revolutionizing a field. The last two levels are characteristic of mature creators. How educators currently deal with creativity, different developmental trajectories that relate to child‐rearing and schooling practices, a call for supporting creativity as a goal for education, and a brief discussion of the issues of linearity, order, and creativity in females related to the continuum conclude the paper.