ABSTRACT

Conceptual combination is proposed as the mental activity by which imagination produces new ideas in creative processes. Two parallel forms of the imagination test were constructed based on conceptual combination theory. Each test comprises eighteen unrelated noun-noun pairs. For each pair, an original idea is required. The test-retest reliability and the predictive validity of these two parallel forms of imagination test were examined. The originality of the imagination was found to predict design students’ performance in design projects. However, the originality of one’s imagination had little relation to either divergent thinking ability or creative personality. Imagination appears to be a psychological construct distinct from divergent thinking ability and may serve as an alternative behavioral measure of creative potential. Imagination, as defined by a mental act of conceptual combination, may serve as an explanation for what happens in the incubation stage and how the “aha” experience is produced.

摘要

概念组合被认为是想象在创造过程中产生新想法的心理活动。基于概念组合理论构建了两种平行形式的想象力测试。每个测试包括十八个不相关的名词-名词对。对于每一对，都需要一个原创的想法。检验了这两种平行形式的想象力测试的重测信度和预测效度。想象力的独创性被发现可以预测设计学生在设计项目中的表现。然而，一个人的想象力的独创性与发散思维能力或创造性个性无关。想象力似乎是一种不同于发散思维能力的心理结构，可以作为创造性潜力的另一种行为衡量标准。想像力，