Despite their negative connotation, and the pervasiveness of blue-sky, outside-the-box thinking metaphors, constraints are at the heart of creativity. Using a multidisciplinary approach, as part of the Integrated Constraints in Creativity (IConIC) model, I propose that creative outcomes emerge from the successful leveraging of different types of constraints. I introduce a new, constraint-based definition of creativity, grounded in categorization theory, and parsimonious taxonomies of constraints based on which I outline testable predictions and corroborating evidence. I argue that constraints differ in terms of their flexibility (fixed, faux-fixed, or flexible) and functions (exclusionary or focusing), and in terms of whether they apply to the problem search time or the problem search space. Within the search space, constraints can refer to specific concepts or categories. I also advance a distinction between creativity maximizers and satisficers as a function of creativity goals, semantic networks, expertise, and the new constructs of constraint leveraging power and constraint leveraging mindset, that help to explain differences in successful integration of constraints for creativity and creative achievement.

尽管它们具有消极的含义，以及普遍存在的蓝天、开箱即用的思维隐喻，但约束是创造力的核心。使用多学科方法，作为创意综合约束 (IConIC) 模型的一部分，我建议创造性成果来自成功利用不同类型的约束。我介绍了一种新的、基于约束的创造力定义，它以分类理论和简洁的约束分类法为基础，在此基础上，我概述了可检验的预测和确凿的证据。我认为，约束在灵活性（固定、假固定或灵活）和功能（排他性或聚焦）方面以及它们是否适用于问题搜索时间或问题搜索空间方面有所不同。在搜索空间内，约束可以指特定的概念或类别。我还提出了创造力最大化者和满足者之间的区别，作为创造力目标、语义网络、专业知识以及利用权力的约束和利用约束的心态的新结构，这有助于解释成功整合创造力和创造性成就的约束的差异.