Creativity among four groups of college freshmen

Abstract

The primary purpose of this study was to investigate differences in creative ability and creative achievements as measured by the Torrance Test of Creative Thinking and the "Creative Achievement Checklist" among probationary, average, distinguished, and undecided college students. A secondary objective was to examine differences in college satisfaction and student orientation among these same groups as measured by the College Student Satisfaction Questionnaire and Orientation Toward College respectively. The sample consisted of 210 second semester freshmen students enrolled in the College of Liberal Arts. The subjects participated in the study during the spring semester of 1974. Creative ability was determined by five scores on the Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking; two scores were obtained from the figural activity while three scores were obtained from the verbal activity. Creative achievement was considered as the total number of items checked on the "Creative Achievement Checklist." The total college satisfaction score on the College Student Satisfaction Questionnaire was used to measure college satisfaction; scored on each of the four philosophies on the Orientation Toward College were used to measure student orientation. In addition to administering the above instruments, background data was collected on all subjects.