RESEARCH PAPERS TO STUDY THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CREATIVITY & PERSONALITY AMONG HIGHSCHOOL STUDENTS By SHAHEEN PARVEEN * SHAIKH IMRAN RAMZAN ** * Principal, DSR College of Education, Aurangabad. ** Marathwada College of Education, Aurangabad. ABSTRACT The central dimension of human personality is extroversion and introversion, the present study is therefore focussed on the relationship between creativity and extraversion and introversion personality traits. A teacher can identify extrovertism and introvertism among the students easily on the basis of their behaviour and habits. Teacher can also identify the relationship between creativity and these personality traits. This is the basic reason behind the present study undertaken by the investigator. In the present study, the data is collected randomly from ten schools; the total number of the students taken for the investigation are 100. The researcher selected Baqar Mehdi's Creativity Test and Dr. Jai Prakash's Diagnostic Test for Introversion and Extraversion in the present investigation. The data is analyzed by way of mean, standard deviation, critical ratio and Co-efficient of co-relation. The results are discussed and the conclusions are drawn. On overall observation of the study of some educational implications are also given. This research denies any relationship between creativity of extroverts and introverts, which will help all researchers related to the student's personality development. Keywords: Creativity, Introvert Personality, Extrovert Personality, High School Students. INTRODUCTION curriculum like a parrot, a curriculum that is not helpful in School is a place where a child gets an opportunity to tapping the creative potentials of the child. reveal his creative talents, where true potentials of the Extrovert characteristic of the personality is identifiable child are tapped; creativity is a very important cognition and therefore, it can be made the basis to measure the ability. It is the creative ability of a person due to which new creative ability of the child. The teacher can develop inventions take place every now and then and definitely creative ability in the child on this basis. these inventions has made the life of the people more The present study is an effort to find out the relationship safer, faster and, comfortable. Therefore, it can be said between creativity and personality trait (extrovert and that for the development and prosperity of any nation, introvert) of the child. The age and maturity level of the creative persons are required. high school student is at the developmental stage; the Unfortunately, in India, the hidden talent in the child teacher can identify the creativity level of student on the remains hidden; his creative potentials remain mystery basis of his existing personality trait extraversion- not only to the child himself but also to the rest of the world, introversion. According to his observation the teacher can due to defective curriculum and partly due to teacher's take steps to promote the creative student for a better indifferent attitude in this regard. performance and can provide remedial steps for less The teacher (if enthusiastic) has to go an extra mile in an creative students. Therefore, personality composition of effort to tap the creative potential of the child, which may the child can also be understood through this research. not be seen through his introvert behaviour. For this matter, Concept of Creativity and Personality Traits teacher's work burden will have to be lessened. Teacher is Man's personality traits are bipolar in nature, while some over worked most of the time as he is busy in imparting the individuals may show a particular personality trait, others 50 i-manager’s Journal on Educational Psychology, Vol. 6 l No. 3 l November 2012 – January 2013 RESEARCH PAPERS may exhibit its opposite. Thus there are some who are shyness or high sensitivity, but those qualities can be introverts while some other may be extroverts. experienced together or during interacting with each Definition of Personality other. According to Fergusson L.W. (1952) “personality is the sum “People can be extreme extroverts, extreme introverts, or total of all the biological innate disposition, impulse a combination of both. Since, extraversion is the tendencies, aptitudes and instincts of the individual and dominant mode in our society, there are no 'closed the acquired dispositions and tendencies acquired by extroverts', but there are many 'closed introverts', people experience”. who are so ashamed of their introversion that they try to be extroverts. According to Mark A. Runco (1997) “Personality is the individual's consideration as a whole. It may be defined as An extrovert “is one whose mental image, thoughts, and the most characteristic integration of an individual's problems find ready expressional overt behaviour” structures, modes of interest, behaviour, capacities, according to the psychologist Allport (1937), whereas an abilities and attitudes. introvert “dwells largely in realm of imagination. Introverts, if given sufficient ability may become visionary poets or Classification of Personality artists”. Carl Jung is the originator of the concept of extrovert and Murray has given a very good definition on creativity – introvert personality trait; he classified personality on the basis of quality of sociability. “Creativity is the process which results in a novel work that is accepted as tenable or useful or satisfying by a group at What is Extraversion? some point in time.” Extraversion is preference to focus on the world outside Creative people tend to be both extroverted and the self. Extroverts enjoy social interactions and tend to be introverted. We're usually one or the other, either preferring enthusiastic, verbal, assertive, and animated. They enjoy to be in the thick of crowds or sitting on the sidelines and large social gatherings, such as parties and any kind of observing the passing show. In fact, in current group activity. Extroverts are likely to enjoy time spent with psychological research, extroversion and introversion are people and find themselves energized by social considered to be the most stable personality trait that interaction. differentiate people from each other and that can be Kinds of Extroverts reliably measured . Creative individuals, on the other ·Men of thought: Persons who do not like reasoning, hand, seem to exhibit both traits simultaneously. they are mainly doctors, lawyers, even teachers, etc. In Review Studies their action, no reason is available. In this type, persons are Some of the relevant studies previously done on creativity capable of becoming efficient administrators and and personality are mentioned here – managers. Rathi (1984) in the study on 'personality correlates' of ·Men of Feeling: In this type persons decide things on creativity among secondary school children concluded the basis of their own feelings. that, all the personality variables which correlated What is Introversion? significantly with creativity can be developed by Introversion is preference to focus on the world inside the improving the correlated variables, pointing to the self. Introverts tend to be quiet, peaceful and deliberate possibility of development of new educational strategies and are not attracted to social interactions. They prefer for the students of high creativity. activities they can do alone or with a close friend, activities While studying personality characteristics of creative such as reading, writing and inventing. Introverts find adolescents, Ramajee (1984) found that high creative social gatherings, draining. Introversion is not the same as adolescents exhibited a greater introversive tendency as i-manager’s Journal on Educational Psychology, Vol. 6 l No. 3 l November 2012 – January 2013 51 RESEARCH PAPERS compared to their low creative counterparts, and organization, group, etc., with a view to analyse a social concluded that there is negative correlation between problem and the presentation of recommendations for its creativity and personality variables. solution. Tripathi (1983), found the relationship between personality Population of the Study and creativity also with socio-economic status and found The population of the study consists of the high school positive correlation between the SES and creativity. He students studying in the schools of Aurangabad city. also concluded that females were higher on creativity Samples of the Study than their male counterparts. In this study, simple random sampling technique was Verma (1988), conducted a study which was aimed to employed. The sample was represented by the students find the difference in the personality pattern of low and of high schools of Aurangabad city. Ten schools were high creativity. The finding revealed that high creative randomly selected for the study and from every selected persons were more introvert than low creative persons, school 25 students were selected, in this way the total and both high and low creative persons reacted number of students selected for the study were 250. Since, emotionally to the environment. the variable of the study introversion – extraversion is The above studies have shown that there is an influence of normally distributed (it follows NPC), maximum students creativity with personality variables. should have to be in the range of average score. Objectives of the Study The researcher administered the tool on the selected high The following are the objectives of the study school students, the students were given ample time to ·To find out the personality traits extrovert and introvert understand the questionnaire and give the desired among the high school students. response. The researcher then carefully searched for introvert – extrovert students. The researcher found that ·To find out the relationship between creativity and out of 250 students, 100 possessed the desired personality personality among the high school students. trait while the rest of the students were in the range of ·To find out the relationship between creativity and average score. extrovertism among the high school students. It means the total students possessing introvert-extrovert ·To find out the relationship between creativity and personality were 100. The researcher then used purposive introvertism among the high school students. sampling on these students for testing their creativity. A Hypothesis of the Study creativity test was administered on the students The following are the hypotheses suggested by the possessing introvert-extrovert personality trait. researcher Tools used in the Research ·There is a significant relationship between creativity The following standardized tools were used for the present and personality trait extraversion. investigation ·There is a significant relationship between creativity ·Verbal Test of Creativity by Baqer Mehdi. and personality trait introversion. ·A diagnostic test for introversion-extraversion by Dr. Jai ·There is no significant difference between the Prakash. creativity of extroverts and creativity of introverts. Data Collection Methodology of the Study For collection of data, the researcher obtained the For the researcher, survey method seemed to be necessary permission from the selected schools. Before appropriate as it involves a systematic and distributing the questionnaire and administering the test comprehensive study of a particular community, on the students, the researcher established cordial 52 i-manager’s Journal on Educational Psychology, Vol. 6 l No. 3 l November 2012 – January 2013 RESEARCH PAPERS relationship with them. The researcher then distributed the standard value of r at 0.05 level, the value of r is 'Diagnostic Test for introversion-extraversion'. The detailed insignificant. Thus, the hypothesis H1 is rejected. instructions on how to give responses to the test items were It means that there is no significant difference between then explained and doubts were clarified. After these two variables and it has been inferred that the completion of the test, scoring was done to find out the personality trait extraversion does not significantly affect number of introvert and extrovert students among the the creativity level of the students. sample students. ·Table 2 reveals that calculated value of r is greater In this way two groups were identified, introvert-extrovert than standard value of r at 0.05 level, the value of r is students and average students. Since the investigator was significant. Thus, the hypothesis H2 is accepted. concerned only with introvert-extrovert students, he It means that there is significant difference between these identified them, separated them and then administered two variables and it has been inferred that the personality on them a test on creativity namely 'Verbal Test on trait introvert significantly affect the creativity level of the Creativity'. students. Statistical Treatment ·Table 3 reveals that 't-value' is 1.15 which is less than The researcher put the data edited and coded together in table value at 0.05 level, therefore, H3 is accepted and a carefully designed table for statistical analysis, 'Pearson thus it is concluded that there is no significant difference Product Moment Correlation Method. Mean, SD and, t- between creativity of extroverts and creativity of introverts. test were used to analyse the data. The statistical Conclusion procedure were taken from Guilford (1978) and Garret ·The research study found very low negative (-0.19) (1971). relationship between creativity and extroversion Limitations of the Study personality score of students, which indicates that ·The study is limited to Aurangabad city only. extrovert personality does not affect their creativity level. ·The sample consisted of only 100 students from ·The research study found moderate positive (+0.36) Aurangabad city. relationship between creativity and introvert personality Table 1 shows the calculated value of co-efficient of scores of the students, which indicates that development correlation r ═ -0.19 For the value of df at 98 standard of introvert personality in-turn develops their creativity value of r at 0.05 level of significance = 0.195. Since, the level. Therefore, it is essential to develop the creativity obtained value of r is less than its standard value, it is Area r inferred that r is insignificant at 0.05 level. Table 2 shows High school 5899 5201 6097 82.87 6.9 -0.19 students the calculated value of co-efficient of correlation r ═ Table 1. Correlation Between +0.36. For the value of df at 98 standard value of r at 0.05 Creativity and Extraversion Personality Trait of High School Students level of significance = 0.195. Since, the obtained value of Area r r is greater than its standard value, it is inferred that r is High school significant at 0.05 level. students 6922 5395 66059 83 7.2 +0.36 Table 2. Correlation Between Since, the obtained value 1.15 is less than that of table 't' Creativity and Introvert Personality Trait of value (1.98) at 0.05 level, it is inferred that insignificant High School Students difference between creativity of extroverts and creativity Significant Factors Mean SD df t /insignificant of introverts was found in Table 3. Introverts 7.2 2.9 98 1.15 Insignificant Findings Extroverts 6.9 3.9 ·Table 1 reveals that calculated value of r is less than Table 3. Difference Between the Creativity of Extroverts and Creativity of Introverts i-manager’s Journal on Educational Psychology, Vol. 6 l No. 3 l November 2012 – January 2013 53 RESEARCH PAPERS among the students. This research denies any relationship between creativity of ·The research study found that mean scores of high extroverts and introverts, which will help all the researchers school students as far as their introvert personality is related to the student's personality development. concerned is 7.2 and extrovert personality is 6.9 References respectively. Therefore, it is concluded that there is no [1]. Allport, (1937), “Personality: A Psychological significant difference between these two variables in the Interpretation”. Holt, Rinehart, & Winston, New York. high school students of Aurangabad city. [2]. Baqer Mehdi, “A Manual of Verbal Test of Creativity”, Education Implications & Recommendations National Psychological corporation, Agra, India. ·A child who is reserved by nature, may also prove to [3]. Fergusson, L.W., (1952). “Personality Measurement”, be creative, being introvert has no correlation with high McGraw Hill Book Co., New York. creativity. Therefore, teacher should encourage and [4]. Garret, H.E. (1971), “Statistics in Psychology and motivate introvert students by offering them creative work Education”. Vakils, Feiffer and Simons private ltd. (6th wherever possible. Indian Edition), Mumbai. ·Child's personality is at the developing stage, [5]. Guilford, J.P. (1978), “Fundamental Statistics in therefore it is very essential for the teacher as well as the Psychology and Education”, McGraw-Hill, New York. parents to understand the composition of personality traits [6]. Jai Pakash, “A Diagnostic Test for Introversion and and his cognitive ability. Extraversion Personality”, National Psychological ·Curriculum should be designed in such a way that corporation, Agra, India. introverts should also get scope for developing their [7]. Jung, C.G. (1967), “The Development of Personality”, creative skills. Routledge Collected Works, Vol. 17, 1991 Ed. London ·Some parents discourage their introvert children from [8]. Mark A. Runco (1997), “The Creativity Research - opting science or technical subjects in higher education. Handbook”, Hampton Press, New York. It is suggested that parents should encourage them to go [9]. Murray (1953), “Personality in Nature, Society, and for science stream as introverts can also prove their Culture”. Alfred A. Knopf Publications, New York. creative potentials if given opportunity. [10]. Ramajee Lal, (1984), “A study of some personality ·Extroverts may have an upper hand as far as creativity characteristics of creative adolescents with the help of is concerned, they may be intellectually rich since they projective test”. Ph.D. thesis, Edu, p .504, 4th survey of are more responsive to the environment, adjust easily, educational research , NCERT, New Delhi. bold in taking decisions. Schools should create such an environment that introverts should also get easily adjusted [11]. Rathi Devi, K. (1984), “A study of certain social in that environment. familial and personality correlates of creativity among secondary school children”, Ph.D. thesis, Edu, p .502, 4th ·Highly creative people have a flexibility approach survey of educational research , NCERT, New Delhi. and a wide range of interpretive background that contributes to the efficiency of intellectual functions. [12]. Tripathi, V.K. (1983), “A study of personality trait as Therefore the curriculum should be designed in such a related to creativity among male and female teachers fashion that it should provide flexibility for both extroverts trainees of high, middle and low SES,” Ph.D. thesis, Edu, p and introverts. .520, 4th survey of educational research , NCERT, New Delhi. ·At the secondary level, the student's personality is at the developing stage. So it is very essential for the [13]. Verma, J. (1988), “A study of the differences in the teachers, parents and curriculum authors to understand personality patterns of high and low creative adolescent the composition of personality traits and cognition ability. in schools”. Ph.D. thesis, Edu, p .523, 4th survey of 54 i-manager’s Journal on Educational Psychology, Vol. 6 l No. 3 l November 2012 – January 2013 RESEARCH PAPERS educational research , NCERT, New Delhi. ABOUT THE AUTHORS Dr. Shaikh Imran Ramzan is currently working as an Associate Professor in Marathwada College of Education, Aurangabad. He has 17 years of teaching experience. His area of specialisation is Educational Technology & ICT. He has authored several books; the latest book is Introduction to Educational Technology & ICT published by Tata-McGraw Hill. He is Ph.D. research guide and holds several positions in Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University, Aurangabad. Dr. Shaheen Parveen is currently working as a Principal in DSR College of Education Aurangabad. She is having a teaching experience of 9 years at the B.Ed. level and 3 years at the M.Ed. level. She has guided 25 M.Ed. students in their research. She has published 13 research papers in Journals of repute. She is also working as co-researcher in a Major Research Project of UGC. She has authored a book on Educational Evaluation & Statistics in Urdu language to cater to the needs of Urdu medium students, as there was no book in Urdu language on this subject. She has worked as Paper setter and Examiner in various capacities for both B.Ed. and M.Ed. level in Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University, Aurangabad. i-manager’s Journal on Educational Psychology, Vol. 6 l No. 3 l November 2012 – January 2013 55