How can I be more creative in psychology?

Faruque, this is an amazingly good question. Thank you so much for asking it.

To begin with, most people have a hard time scientifically defining “creativity.” Not that defining “psychology” is much easier.

Creativity?

It’s the opposite of “genius.”

Genius is”an exceptional ability to recognize patterns in already existing things.”

Creativity is “destroying already existing things in order to discover new patterns.”

How does one destroy already existing psychological beliefs in order to discover new patterns?”

First, flood yourself with observations of young children. Not from books. From real life. Sit in restaurants and just drink in what you see, especially the interactions between young children of different ages.

Second, make no interpretations about what you see. None. Not a single one. Doing this will be hard. Really hard, actually. The world of psychology is infused with these interpretations.

The thing is, if you can begin to “constellate” the patterns beneath your observations, you’ll slowly begin to develop your own psychology. Here, by “constellate,” there’s a story I love to tell.

Imagine we are both out looking up at a beautiful night sky. I’ve handed you a large square piece of cardboard with a quarter-sized hole in the center. I ask you to hold up the cardboard to the sky and center the hole on a star. Can you imagine doing this? If you can, you life is about to change.

Now imagine I ask you a question.

What constellation is that star in?

Now ask yourself. Could you answer confidently?

The answer is obviously that one start doesn’t tell you the constellation. And without knowing the constellation, you have little knowledge about that star.

Now imagine I ask you to put the cardboard down and to tell me now which constellation it it. And what do you see? That famous set of seven stars we know as the “Big Dipper.”

Put down the cardboard psychology pressures you to keep holding up to the sky. Speed your nights just discovering the amazing things children do.

Do this and you will find yourself to be amazing creative in your psychological discovers.

Good luck to you in your journey, Steven