Links between fluid intelligence and creative thought explored in the following paper;

http://scottbarrykau...lvia-Beaty-.pdf


a b s t r a c t

The relationship between intelligence and creativity remains controversial. The present research
explored this issue by studying the role of fluid intelligence (Gf) in the generation of
creative metaphors. Participants (n=132 young adults) completed six nonverbal tests of Gf
(primarily tests of inductive reasoning) and were then asked to create metaphors that described
a past emotional experience. The metaphors were rated for creative quality. Latent variable
models found that Gf explained approximately 24% of the variance in metaphor quality
(standardized beta=.49), consistent with the view that creative ideation engages executive
processes and abilities. The effect of Gf remained substantial after including personality (the
Big Five factors) in the model. The discussion considers implications for the debate over intelligence
and creativity as well as for the cognitive abilities involved in metaphor production.
© 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.