A Factor-Analytic Study of Creative-Thinking Abilities

Fifty-three tests designed to measure aspects of creative thinking were administered to 410 air cadets and student officers. The scores were intercorrelated and 16 factors were extracted. Orthogonal rotations resulted in 14 identifiable factors, a doublet, and a residual. Nine previously identified factors were: verbal comprehension, numerical facility, perceptual speed, visualization, general reasoning, word fluency, associational fluency, ideational fluency , and a factor combining Thurstone's closure I and II . Five new factors were identified as originality, redefinition, adaptive flexibility, spontaneous flexibility , and sensitivity to problems .