4 Differences between Critical Thinking and Creativity

Creativity and critical thinking are the fundamental skills involved in making judgments and solving problems. They have different construction because they differentiate the outcome of human behaviours. Let’s take a look at the differences between critical thinking and creativity.

Generative and Observative

Creativity is a way of looking at situation from a new perspective to create something new and to generate new ideas, while critical thinking is a process of analyzing, interpreting, and evaluating information gathered from observation.

Possibilities and Probability

Creativity is focused on possibilities in making something new that may be useful to explore more ideas, while critical thinking is focused on probability, it is focused on observation and evaluating information.

Divergent and Convergent

Creativity generates ideas by exploring many possible solutions, this is usually referred to thinking outside the box, while critical thinking is reducing possibilities to convergent toward a single answer such as solving a problem.

Subjective and Objective

Creativity is subjective and based on perceptions, it interprets ideas differently to others, while critical thinking refers to the ability to analyze information objectively and make a reasoned judgment which involves the evaluation of sources such as data, facts, observable phenomenon, and research findings.

Conclusion

Critical thinking and creativity have different construction, but both could be related in looking at problems and situations. Not only to solve problems, but also to come up with new and creative ideas. In creativity, critical thinking allows us to analyze ideas and adjust them accordingly.

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References

Critical Thinking vs. Creative Thinking. (n.d.). Retrieved January 11, 2021, from https://thepeakperformancecenter.com/educational-learning/thinking/critical-thinking/critical-thinking-vs-creative-thinking/

Soyadı, B. B. (2015). Creative and Critical Thinking Skills in Problem-based Learning Environments. Journal of Gifted Education and Creativity, 2(2), 71–71. doi:10.18200/jgedc.2015214253

The Synergy of Creative and Critical Thinking. (n.d.). Retrieved January 12, 2021, from https://faculty.chass.ncsu.edu/slatta/hi216/cc.htm