Question

1. We fear the judgement of our peers, which causes us to become _____ in our thinking? Discuss.

2.Before we take risks we need some kind of security. Explain what this means.

3.Playfulness helps us to get better creative solutions, do our jobs better, and help us feel better when we do them. Give an example from your own experience.

4.When we first encounter any new material, we ask “what can we do with it”. Provide an example from a child and adult.

5.A barrier to adult creativity is self-editing. Explain.

6. He discusses “informal prototyping” and available materials to allow for exploration and design. Why do offices and schools remove most adaptive materials.

Answer 1

1. We fear the judgement of our peers, which causes us to become rigid in our thinking. This statement implies that that fear of what the society thinks about us may stifle creativity. It may cause us to think in rigid, stereotyped ways. We might develop tunnel vision, and thus become unable to see alternative paths of arriving at a solution to a problem. This might be because we fear a possible backlash, and its consequences, if we propose doing things in an alternative manner.

2. It means that people feel the necessity of a safety net before taking any sort of risk in life. People want a backup plan, additional resources - whether financial, social, or psychological - before taking a risk. If the risk doesn't pay off, people need to know that they have this kind of support and security if and when they fall.

3. Playfulness is a type of exploration. Research shows that infants use this as the primary method of exploring theit world. Even for adults, it might be important. Playfulness allows for creativity as we are no longer thinking/experiencing the world in rigid frameworks/boundaries. If we consider that playfulness might involve the activation of the Default Mode Network (DMN), it follows that the brain is more creatively engaged as it accesses stored memory and recombines different ideas. This may translate into more creative solutions, better job performance, and thus higher satisfaction. For example, when thinking of a solution to a difficult problem, it may help to unfocus for a while and engage in a light activity. It may happen that the solution presents itself later.

4. Example: A child may encounter an apple and think it is a ball. The response might be to throw the apple (instead of eat it), as one might play with a ball. The idea here is still that the child is thinking "What can I do with this new object (the apple)?" as she throws the apple.

5. Insecurity, fear, low self-esteem, etc. may lie at the root of self-editing. The act of self-editing may cause a person to automatically reject any ideas that she considers not good enough. This is a barrier to creativity as new ideas, thoughts, and solutions are automatically rejected due to fear of society. Creativity, which needs unrestrained activity and exploration, is thus compromised.

6. Please define who 'he' is in the question.