Development of a new criterion measure for creative problem solving ability

The first purposes of this project were to develop a new complex measure of creative problem-solving (SYOPT) and to develop scoring criteria for the items in the new test. In addition, evidence concerning the reliability and validity of four new variables derived from the new measure was examined. Adequate levels of inter-item and inter-rater reliability were obtained for each of the four variables. None of the four new variables correlated significantly or even moderately with a variety of external criteria commonly associated with creativity. The absence of such relationships was attributed to both the restricted range of the population (only those grade three children that were reading at grade level or above), and the fact that the measure was constructed so as to yield a global measure of creative behaviour rather than of unique, specific abilities. Implications for subsequent research were also identified.Education, Faculty ofGraduat