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Arts Foster Scientific Success: Avocations of Nobel, National Academy, Royal Society, and Sigma Xi Members
Abstract
Various investigators have proposed that “scientific geniuses” are polymaths. To test this hypothesis, autobiographies, biographies, and obituary notices of Nobel Prize winners in the sciences, members of the Royal Society, and the U.S. National Academy of Sciences were read and adult arts and crafts avocations tabulated. Data were compared with a 1936 avocation survey of Sigma Xi members and a 1982 survey of arts avocations among the U. S. public. Nobel laureates were significantly more likely to engage in arts and crafts avocations than Royal Society and National Academy of Sciences members, who were in turn significantly more likely than Sigma Xi members and the U.S. public. Scientists and their biographers often commented on the utility of their avocations as a stimuli for their science. The utility of arts and crafts training for scientists may have important public policy and educational implications in light of the marginalization of these subjects in most curricula.
... POLYMATHY: A NEW OUTLOOK 67 and biographical data to assess the degree of polymathy and scientific success of individuals, finding compelling evidence for a correlation between broad avocational interests (a proxy for polymathy) and scientific eminence (R. Root-Bernstein, Bernstein & Gamier, 1993R. Root-Bernstein et al., 2008). Besides that, Sriraman (2009) utilized a hermeneuticphenomenological approach to identify polymathic thinking traits while his subjects attempted to unravel a given mathematical paradox; he discovered that polymathic thinking was associated with the successful identification of the problem. ...
... Root-Bernstein, 1997, 2003a, 2003bR. Root-Bernstein et al., 1993, 2008, 2013R. Root-Bernstein & M. Root-Bernstein, 2004, 2013. ...
... Studies about the habits of individuals with outstanding creative accomplishments also corroborate this idea. For instance, eminent scientists show much greater likelihood of developing avocational interests in uncorrelated areas than their less successful counterparts (see for instance, R. Root-Bernstein et al., 1993, 2008. ...
This article aims to contribute to the study of polymathy by introducing novel perspectives on the phenomenon and by advancing a new model that systematizes the different variables involved in its development. The article is divided into four sections. The first section involves a reflection about the nature of polymathy; the term mathema is presented as the unit that underpins the development of polymathic knowledge, and the elements that constitute the fundamental qualities of polymathy are identified and discussed. In the second section, the novel conceptualization of polymathy as a life project is introduced; it builds upon previous psychoeconomic approaches to offer a new perspective on the phenomenon. In the third sec- tion, a developmental model of polymathy is suggested; it organizes the different constructs involved in the development of polymathy into a framework that can serve as basis for future studies. Finally, implications for research, practice and policy are discussed.
... More generally, the notion that people vary in the breadth or complexity of their creative pursuits is a theme found in many areas of creativity research. Root-Bernstein's (2003, 2009 concept of polymathy, for example, is motivated by studies showing that eminent scholars and artists often have expertise in distinct domains and diverse interests (Root-Bernstein et al., 2008). The long tradition of research on "the creative personality" has consistently found that creative people have broad interests and are open to new and diverse experiences (Mackinnon, 1965, Oleynick et al., 2017. ...
... Kaufman, Beghetto, Baer, and Ivcevic (2010) suggested that creative polymathy is more likely to be found in smaller-c side of the 4C model: one is more likely to find people with creative interests in many different domains at the little-c end, whereas significant, Big-C creative achievements across different domains are less likely. At the same time, the classic literature on creative polymathy is rooted in the study of expertise, giftedness, and Big-C creativity (Araki, 2018), such as models of how people develop significant expertise in disparate creative domains like science and art (Root-Bernstein, 2003, Root-Bernstein et al., 2008. Indeed, some scholars in this field distinguish polymathy from dilettancy (Root-Bernstein, 2009), which involves "taking up several activities in a superficial or desultory way" (Araki, 2018, p. 68). ...
... Furthermore, some authors (e.g., Root-Bernstein et al. 2008) suggest that there is actually a positive link between scientific success and ability within artistic domains, as noted in polymaths who excel in a variety of disciplines, including the Sciences and Arts. Indeed, it may also be argued that creativity can be developed through STEM subjects (Zhbanova 2019). ...
... We believe that these findings contribute to the literature on the links between STEM and the development of transversal skills (e.g., Froschauer 2015; Sánchez et al. 2022;Stylianidou et al. 2018;Zhbanova 2019). Furthermore, they support the previous research on the complementarity of STEM and creativity (e.g., Root-Bernstein et al. 2008;Sánchez et al. 2022;Schoevers et al. 2020;Stylianidou et al. 2018;Zhbanova 2019). ...
Scholarly research has increasingly examined the role of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education, and that of creativity as a transversal skill. However, far fewer studies have investigated the relationship between the two, particularly in secondary-school contexts, and they have obtained inconsistent results. This paper contributes to the literature by asking: To what extent is studying STEM associated with higher levels of creativity in a secondary-school context? The study utilises a pre-existing dataset gathered in Malta (EU) from some 400 students aged between 11 and 16 years old. It yields information on both the engagement in STEM (measured by exposure to STEM chosen by students as optional subjects, and the enjoyment of STEM considered by students to be their favourite subjects), as well as creativity levels (measured by Divergent Thinking performance on Alternate Uses Tests). Correlation analysis revealed a strong positive link between the two phenomena, lending support to the notion that STEM students tend to be more creative than other students. Using regression analysis, a model is estimated to identify the possible effects of engaging in STEM subjects on creativity, once the other co-determinants of creativity are controlled. The results indicate that both the exposure to STEM subject/s and enjoyment thereof significantly and positively predict creativity, even after controlling for the other possible determinants of creativity (such as age, gender, parental education, and participation in creative activities). These findings offer encouraging insights into 21st century education and for curriculum development as they suggest that, in addition to having value in their own right, STEM subjects can contribute to the development of creativity in young people.
Keywords: STEM; creativity; divergent thinking; 21st century skills; secondary education
... This group provides a unique sample for researchers to study how achievements in different areas of human endeavours are made, measured and recognised. Characteristics in the education background (Li, Wang, & Liu, 2021), hobbies (Root-Bernstein, et al., 2008), collaboration style (Zuckerman, 1967), mentorship (Chariker, Zhang, Pani, & Rouchka, 2016) and family heritage (Rothenberg, 2005) among the Nobel laureates have been extensively studied. The communication styles of Nobel laureates have also begun to attract attention recently. ...
Language styles used by academics working in disciplines are different, possibly reflecting how different types of knowledge are conceived, communicated and taught. Most of the studies on the communication style of academics are based on analyses of pre-prepared academic writings and formal speeches. It is not known whether such differences in language styles are also practised in informal, colloquial communications. In this paper, we report a Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count (LIWC) analysis of the telephone interviews given by 82 Nobel Prize laureates in the fields of natural sciences (chemistry, physics, physiology, or medicine) and economic sciences. LIWC analysis identifies differences in usage frequency of words in various language categories. The result shows a higher use of money- and power-related words by economic laureates and a higher use of second-person pronouns among science laureates. When second-person pronouns were used, economic laureates tended to use them as a general reference, while scientists tended to use them as courtesy sentences or discourse markers. These observations indicate that different language styles are used by scholars of different research fields even in their impromptu verbal communications. It is possible that word choices by economists are influenced by the content of economic studies, which are concerned with influencing the external environment and by their preference in describing processes and actions. A more involved and high level of cautions, alertness, and precision in conversion may be indicated in the speaking style of natural scientists.
This article analyses the impact of the contest "Teacher of the Year" to improve pedagogical skills and creativity of the participants of the contest. It has been revealed that teachers who, constantly improve their skills successfully and easily perform tasks in the competition develop their creativity and it motivates them to introduce new methods in their teaching process. The positive role of participation in the competition is noted, as it helps to develop the teacher's activity, increases his psycho-pedagogical, methodical, informational and communicative competence, provides the opportunity for a teacher to reflect in new ways of doing things, get a professional expertise and try to overcome himself. The conclusion is made, that the contest "Teacher of the Year" has a positive influence on the improvement of the pedagogical excellence of teachers and contributes to disclosing of their personal potential.
This conceptual analysis aims to challenge the state of high-performance sport by questioning the concept of specialization. To start, we offer a brief, but critical overview of what specialization currently entails. Then, shifting the paradigm, we suggest an expansion rather than a reduction of developmental possibilities once an athlete reaches the "top". Specifically, rather than athletes conforming to national standards imposed by governing bodies about what it means to be "elite", we suggest sport systems consider a person-environment fit approach to support ongoing development. Drawing on an ecological dynamics rationale and various socio-cultural theories, we explore how concepts such as affordances and perspectives can be harnessed to create a better "fit" between athletes' action capabilities and the opportunities within their broader environment. Our conception of specialization requires moving away from a definition of success based on the accumulation of medals, toward one that accounts for the exploration and achievement of the possible. We argue that a person-environment fit welcomes diversity, so long as it sustains the person's health, wellbeing, and performance. This, it is suggested, is about collectively holding open spaces for each other to explore beyond the constraints of high-performance sport, encouraging all to carry on their lives in directions meaningfully impactful for them. We conclude this conceptual analysis with a brief case example demonstrating what our theorizing could look like in practice.
A pesar de estas limitaciones, los investigadores están unidos en
la necesidad de continuar examinando la creatividad. La interrelación
entre las ciencias, las tecnologías, las artes y los oficios es permanente.
Su separación es más una conveniencia que una necesidad.
Forman un todo integrado. Cada una de ellas ha fructificado a partir
de conceptos paralelos y de un impulso, común y activo, de creación.
La belleza ha calado en el entramado de las teorías científicas y en el
diseño tecnológico, y los artistas han incorporado las ideas científicas
y los avances tecnológicos en sus procesos creativos.
En los siguientes capítulos se plantea cómo la creatividad puede
ser el punto de convergencia entre las ciencias y las artes. Esta cohesión
hay que defenderla en forma de cultura transversal. La mayoría
de los investigadores piensan que la creatividad científica se compone
de los mismos procesos mentales que guían cualquier otra forma
de creatividad, y lo que hace a las ciencias diferentes es el vasto conocimiento
(teórico, técnico y experimental) que se requiere para crear
una idea novedosa.
Exploramos las similitudes entre los procesos creativos que utilizan
científicos y artistas para llevar a cabo su trabajo de creación. El
concepto de investigación es fundamental para entender la práctica
artística. La intención básica del científico es encontrar regularidades
y patrones en el mundo exterior para moderar el miedo que el caos
y la impredecibilidad provocan al ser humano, a través de leyes y
14 Javier González García
teorías que permiten predecir acontecimientos. Esto es semejante a
lo que mueve al artista.
Se abre un camino para observar cómo científicos sociales y cognitivos,
filósofos y artistas, pueden ponerse de acuerdo en unos mismos
objetos y líneas de estudio. En la complejidad del mundo, el arte
se articula con la ciencia para ampliar la experiencia.
Skolen har en viktig rolle og forpliktelse som kulturbærer, skaper og formidler. Med rot i FNs barnekonvensjon har det norske samfunnet forpliktet seg til alle barns rett til opplæring og deltakelse i kulturelle aktiviteter. Denne litteraturstudien sammenstiller norsk og internasjonal forskning som ser på betydningen av kunst og kultur for barn og unge, og undersøker Den Kulturelle Skolesekken, feltet og forskningen den er en del av. Materialet som drøftes er i hovedsak fagfellevurderte forskningsartikler publisert siden 2010. Denne gjennomgangen av forskningslitteratur er interessant for å styrke kunnskapen om feltet Den kulturelle skolesekken er en del av, skolen og ordningen selv. Dette arbeidet har rot i Kulturtankens mandat om å styrke kunnskapen om hvilken betydning Den kulturelle skolesekken har for barn og unge.
I studien gjennomgås historiske røtter og internasjonale ordninger som er like Den kulturelle skolesekken for å etablere en bredere kontekst for å forstå feltet som ordningen er en del av. Denne studien ser på betydningen av kunst og kultur for barn og unge igjennom kunstfaglige metoder i undervisningen, gjennom perspektivene knyttet til STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics) og bærekraft. Videre drøftes kreativitetsforskning og kunstrike læringsmiljø. Det som kalles “begeistringsforskningen” rundt Den Kulturelle Skolesekken blir behandlet sammen med et bredere perspektiv på hvorfor kunst og kultur er viktig også utenfor skolen. Videre drøftes dette materialet gjennom kategorier som kunst og lek fra barnehage til skole, dannelse, kulturell deltakelse, sosial og emosjonell læring, transfer learning og dannelse.
Vi trenger den grunnleggende anerkjennelsen av at kunst og kultur er etablerte metoder for å lære, vite og uttrykke. Kunsten må ikke trenge rettferdiggjøres utifra et nyliberalt ønske eller behov for nytte, men bør omfavnes og brukes basert på det unike kunsten kan tilføre mennesker. Å påvise kunstens overføringsverdi til andre fag, og dermed etablere kunstens “nytte” er enda ikke mulig, men det betyr snarere at det enda ikke er bevist. Mye forskning som som viser til positive resultater på kunstens betydning for barn i skolen lider under vanskeligheter med å gjennomføre eksperimentelle studier i skoler og medfører dermed metodiske svakheter. Dette betyr snarere at det er behov for langsiktige eksperimentelle studier på tvers av skoler, kommuner og landegrenser. Gjennom oppsummeringen av studien presenteres det en rekke forslag til områder og spørsmål som trenger ytterligere forskning, som hvordan læreres kompetanse i praktisk-estetiske fag kan styrkes i møte med Den kulturelle skolesekken, hvordan forskningen på kunst og kultur for barn og unge kan bidra til å bryte ned sosiale barrierer og bidra til økt kulturell deltakelse. Ytterligere forskning på mekanismene i kunstaktiviteter som støtte utviklingen av sosial-emosjonelle ferdigheter, sammenlignende studier av kunst- og kulturprogram for barn og unge i Norden og samspill i Den kulturelle skolesekken med lærerplaner.
Den kulturelle skolesekken har et stort potensiale for læring i skolen, uavhengig om det er en entydig og synlig gjennom relevans til skolehverdagen, ekspon- ering for kulturelle uttrykk som elever ikke ville oppsøke på egen hånd er viktige for å utvide horisonter og forståelser av den sosiale sammenhengen man lever i.
Bente Aster, Cathrine Jakobsen, Hege Posaas, Ståle Stenslie, Ragnhild Tronstad og Magne Espeland har kommentert på ulike versjoner av teksten.
Interdisciplinarity is, in most cases, viewed as cooperation among scientists from different disciplines, i.e. in the shape of interdisciplinary teams. However, interdisciplinarity also occurs at the individual level; significant scientific advances were and are often initiated by individuals based or active in more than one field. Up to now such constellations are only rarely present in the discussion on interdisciplinary collaboration. This paper explores what I have called personal interdisciplinarity from both a theoretical and empirical perspective. Insights and debates from research on multilingualism thereby serve as serve as useful analogues and parallels. Sources are based on qualitative interviews with scholars at home in more than one discipline, with funding agencies, the analysis of relevant documents, and a reflection of personal experiences, leads to a discussion of the challenges and opportunities of personal
interdisciplinarity. The results show that Scholars, evaluate their own interdisciplinarity as
ambivalent. On the one hand they consider it as an intellectual benefit with regard to
scientific knowledge, on the other as a burden and obstacle for an academic career. Concerns regarding disadvantages in the evaluation of one's own academic performance, longer project time frames, the risk of isolation and the lack of "disciplinary identity" play a central role. At the same time, the results suggest that personal interdisciplinarity not only differs significantly from interdisciplinarity in groups, but may also play a crucial role in the success of interdisciplinary efforts. The paper concludes with a range of suggestions for the promotion and fostering of personal interdisciplinarity at both the personal and institutional level.
Creative potential in childhood, of a kind bearing fruit in maturity, reveals itself in imaginative play, the most complex
of which is the invention of imaginary worlds (paracosms). Worldplay often includes the generation of stories, drawings, etc.,
that provide evidence of little c creative behavior. Historical examples (e.g., the Brontës) suggest that productive worldplay
may thus serve as a “learning laboratory” for adult achievement. Early research explored ties between worldplay and later
artistic endeavor. Recent study of gifted adults finds strong links, too, between worldplay and mature creative accomplishment
in the sciences and social sciences. As many as 1 in 30 children may invent worlds in solitary, secret play that is hidden
from ready view. Worldplay nevertheless figured tangentially in early studies of intellectual precocity. Improved understanding
of the phenomenon, its nature and its potential for nurture, should bring childhood worldplay to the foreground as an indicator
of creative giftedness.
KeywordsImaginative play–Imaginary worlds–Paracosm–Worldplay pedagogy–Productive creativity–Creative process–Creative behavior–Creative giftedness