Alternative Object Use in Adults and Children: Embodied Cognitive Bases of Creativity

in Frontiers in Psychology (2022)

Why does one need creativity? On a personal level, improvisation with available resources is needed for online coping with unforeseen environmental stimuli when existing knowledge and apparent action ... [more ▼]

Why does one need creativity? On a personal level, improvisation with available resources is needed for online coping with unforeseen environmental stimuli when existing knowledge and apparent action strategies do not work. On a cultural level, the exploitation of existing cultural means and norms for the deliberate production of novel and valuable artifacts is a basis for cultural and technological development and extension of human action possibilities across various domains. It is less clear, however, how creativity develops and how exactly one arrives at generating new action possibilities and producing multiple alternative action strategies using familiar objects. In this theoretical paper, we first consider existing accounts of the creative process in the Alternative Uses Task and then present an alternative interpretation, drawing on sociocultural views and an embodied cognition approach. We explore similarities between the psychological processes underlying the generation of new uses in the Alternative Uses Task and children’s pretend play. We discuss possible cognitive mechanisms and speculate how the generation of new action possibilities for common objects in pretend play can be related to adults’ ability to generate new action strategies associated with object use. Implications for creativity development in humans and embodied artificial agents are discussed. [less ▲]

From social robots to creative humans and back

in Confalonieri, Roberto; Kutz, Oliver; Veale, Tony (Eds.) et al Proceedings of the Thirteenth International Conference on Computational Creativity (2022, July)

The research on physically and socially situated artificial agents could complement and enrich computational models of creativity. This paper discusses six perspective lines of inquiry at the intersection ... [more ▼]

The research on physically and socially situated artificial agents could complement and enrich computational models of creativity. This paper discusses six perspective lines of inquiry at the intersection of creativity and social robotics. It provides a description of ways in which the field of social robotics may influence (and be influenced by) creativity research in psychology and speculates how human-machine co-creation will affect the notions of both human and artificial creativity. By discussing potential research areas, the authors hope to outline an agenda for future collaboration between creativity scholars in psychology, social robotics, and computer science. [less ▲]

Mechanisms of Participation in Vocational Education and Training in Europe

in Frontiers in Psychology (2022)

This article aims to analyze vocational education and training in Europe and to model mechanisms of educational and vocational choice. First, we expose the differences between VET approaches in Europe ... [more ▼]

This article aims to analyze vocational education and training in Europe and to model mechanisms of educational and vocational choice. First, we expose the differences between VET approaches in Europe. Secondly, a sociological analysis is provided. When VET systems were first created, aspects such as work culture or diverging political concerns led to different responses in the various countries. Thirdly, we present a psychological approach of the educational and vocational choice which draws on a process where profession images are compared with one’s own self-image. Finally, we present an integrated explanatory model of the vocational choice, based on sociological and psychological dimensions. In conclusion, we propose several plans of action in order to support and inform students regarding educational choice and to improve valorization of the VET track. [less ▲]

Evaluation of Artificial Creativity Using Human Creativity Tests: A Scoping Review

in Proceedings of AIFA 2022 (2022)

Un nouvel outil d'évaluation de la créativité dans le milieu publicitaire

in Houssemand, Claude (Ed.) Recherches actuelles en psychologie différentielle (2021, April)

Educational Robotics and Robot Creativity: An Interdisciplinary Dialogue

in Frontiers in Robotics and AI (2021)

There is a growing literature concerning robotics and creativity. Although some authors claim that robotics in classrooms may be a promising new tool to address the creativity crisis in school, we often ... [more ▼]

There is a growing literature concerning robotics and creativity. Although some authors claim that robotics in classrooms may be a promising new tool to address the creativity crisis in school, we often face a lack of theoretical development of the concept of creativity and the mechanisms involved. In this article, we will first provide an overview of existing research using educational robotics to foster creativity. We show that in this line of work the exact mechanisms promoted by robotics activities are rarely discussed. We use a confluence model of creativity to account for the positive effect of designing and coding robots on students' creative output. We focus on the cognitive components of the process of constructing and programming robots within the context of existing models of creative cognition. We address as well the question of the role of meta-reasoning and emergent strategies in the creative process. Then, in the second part of the article, we discuss how the notion of creativity applies to robots themselves in terms of the creative processes that can be embodied in these artificial agents. Ultimately, we argue that considering how robots and humans deal with novelty and solve open-ended tasks could help us to understand better some aspects of the essence of creativity. [less ▲]

Scientific Creativity in Psychology: A Cognitive-Conative Approach

in Research Anthology on Rehabilitation Practices and Therapy (2021)

Recherches Actuelles en Psychologie Différentielle

Book published by UL (2021)

Par le passé les conduites humaines ont été étudiées selon une approche générale ou une approche différentielle donnant lieu à des courants séparés de la psychologie, les modèles comportementaux laissent ... [more ▼]

Par le passé les conduites humaines ont été étudiées selon une approche générale ou une approche différentielle donnant lieu à des courants séparés de la psychologie, les modèles comportementaux laissent, aujourd’hui, une place de plus en plus importante aux variations inter et intra-individuelles. La psychologie différentielle longtemps restreinte à l’étude de champs particuliers, comme celui des méthodes par exemple, bénéficie de ce nouveau paradigme et participe activement à cette évolution conceptuelle. En parallèle, ses thématiques de recherche se voient modifiées par la prise en compte des intérêts des autres disciplines avec lesquelles elle collabore. Dès lors, elle aborde, comme ses précurseurs l’avaient définie, des champs plus en lien avec les évolutions sociétales actuelles : éducation différenciée, formation tout-au-long de la vie, orientation, sélection des personnes ou ressources humaines. De plus, les avancées techniques et technologiques lui permettent de faire évoluer ses outils d’investigation et de diagnostic, sur lesquels elle s’est, depuis son origine, arcboutée et qui sont actuellement le testing assisté par ordinateur, le testing adaptatif, l’intelligence artificielle ou les interfaces homme-machine. Enfin, par la prise en compte des théories et des méthodes de sciences émergentes (sciences cognitives et neurosciences), elle se dote de nouveaux moyens d’analyse des différences individuelles. Ainsi une certaine mutation de la psychologie différentielle s’observe au travers de différents travaux récents initiés au sein de cette discipline et que le présent ouvrage Recherches actuelles en psychologie différentielle tente de mettre en lumière. En effet, ce recueil, composé des synthèses de certaines communications orales et affichées présentées lors des XXIIIème Journées de Psychologie Différentielle (Luxembourg, 2018) se veut, sans être exhaustif, le reflet de certaines voies nouvelles de ce domaine scientifique et souhaite ainsi donner une image nouvelle et actuelle de la psychologie différentielle, des réalisations et perspectives de recherche de cette discipline. [less ▲]

Le processus de médiation et son issue à la croisée des dimensions psychologiques et sociales : pistes de recherche

in Négociations (2020), 34(2), 171-192

Les pratiques de médiation sont promues de façon croissante par les sociétés occidentales, avec un nombre grandissant de centres et de praticiens qui offrent leurs services. La recherche sur les ... [more ▼]

Les pratiques de médiation sont promues de façon croissante par les sociétés occidentales, avec un nombre grandissant de centres et de praticiens qui offrent leurs services. La recherche sur les déterminants, les mécanismes et les résultats de la médiation en est cependant encore à ses débuts en Europe francophone, alors que déjà beaucoup plus avancée dans les pays anglo-saxons. Une analyse de la littérature internationale est ici proposée afin d’inspirer la recherche dans nos pays. Elle permet de faire émerger deux principales priorités de recherche, concernant les ressources et stratégies utilisées par les médiateurs et l’évaluation de la médiation et ses effets à moyen et long termes.Mediation is increasingly promoted by Western societies, with a growing number of centers and practitioners offering their services. Research on the determinants, mechanisms, and results of mediation are nevertheless still in their infancy in French-speaking Europe, though they are more advanced in English-speaking countries. An analysis of the international literature is here proposed in order to guide research in our countries. Two subjects should be research priorities: the resources and strategies used by mediators; and the evaluation of mediation by establishing precise criteria and by studying, through longitudinal research designs, the link between the initial characteristics of mediation and its medium- and long-term effects. [less ▲]

Vers une évolution du rapport au travail et au chômage ? Points de vue de demandeurs d’emploi et discours de salariés

in Psychologie du Travail et des Organisations (2020), 26(3), 197-213

Professional career paths are nowadays marked by multiple transitions. Job loss is one of the most frequent causes of professional transitions. Given this emphasis, recent studies questioned a possible ... [more ▼]

Professional career paths are nowadays marked by multiple transitions. Job loss is one of the most frequent causes of professional transitions. Given this emphasis, recent studies questioned a possible evolution of the “work” norm, the emergence of an “unemployment norm” and its effects on job seekers. This paper proposes to contribute to the discussion on the current evolution of the relation to work and unemployment. At first, the results of a study with 500 unemployed people, who completed a questionnaire on work centrality and on the perception of work, will be presented. Then, a discourse analysis on the meaning and meaningfulness of work of 15 working people will be discussed. The results show the central function of work and the relative normalization of unemployment. [less ▲]