Date Approved
6-9-2025
Embargo Period
6-9-2026
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Ph.D. Creativity
Department
Art
College
Ric Edelman College of Communication & Creative Arts
Advisor
Jonathan Fineberg, Ph.D.
Committee Member 1
Richard Herman, Ph.D.
Committee Member 2
Keith Mines
Committee Member 3
Robin Wagner-Pacifici, Ph.D.
Keywords
bureaucracy;cognitive dissonance;creativity;planning;problem solving
Abstract
I studied creativity and how it interacts with the crisis environment to devise a way of determining if future situations are amenable to creativity. Through studying creativity theories and crisis responses, I developed a framework and instrument that answers the following questions, semi-quantitatively and qualitatively: 1) Is the future situation or problem amenable to creativity? 2) How much “energy” needs to be expended in solving the problem or situation? 3) Where best can I use creative energy as it relates to the subject matter or process of the situation? I studied situations ranging from personal (pursuit of this PhD), critical but not creative (cardiac arrest), and significant U.S. government bureaucratic responses (Apollo 13, 2010 Haiti Response). I evaluated the cases with the variables of importance and urgency, pressure, and two areas of cognitive dissonance (subject matter, process). These variables added together result in a semi-quantitative value related to the amount of energy required in the situation interaction. The cognitive dissonance variables are related to the amount of cognitive energy needed and are a qualitative measurement of the amenability of the situation to creativity. Implications of this research include forecasting future problems that are difficult to solve and require creativity. The final map of variables in a radar plot can highlight areas of the overall problem that might be approached to decrease the cognitive dissonance and thereby free up energy for use in other parts of the problem and the overall system.
Recommended Citation
Carlson, Andrew Lee, "CREATIVITY AND CRISIS. CASE STUDIES OF BUREAUCRACY UNDER PRESSURE – DETERMINING FACTORS AFFECTING CREATIVITY" (2025). Theses and Dissertations. 3378.
https://rdw.rowan.edu/etd/3378
