In Guilford’s Alternative Uses Task (1967)
examinees are asked to list as many possible uses for a common
house hold item (such as s brick, a paperclip, a newspaper)
Name all the uses for a brick:
a
paperweight
a doorstop
a mock coffin at a Barbie funeral
to throw through a window
to use as a weapon
to hit my sister on the head with
Scoring is comprised of four components:
Originality - each response it compared to the total
amount of responses from all of the people you gave the test
to. Reponses that were given by only 5% of your group are
unusual (1 point), responses that were given by only 1% of your
group are unique - 2 points). Total all the point.
Higher scores indicate creativity*
Fluency - total. Just add up all the responses. In
this example it is 6.
Flexibility - or different categories. In this case
there are five different categories
(weapon and hit sister are from the same general idea of weapon)
Elaboration - amount of detail (for Example "a doorstop"
= 0 whereas "a door stop to prevent a door slamming shut in a
strong wind" = 2 (one for explanation of door slamming, two for
further detail about the wind).
*You might have noticed that the higher fluency the higher
the originality (if you did "good for you!") This is a
contamination problem and can be corrected by using a corrective
calculation for originality
(originality = originality/fluency).
Any one can administer Guilford’s Alternative Uses Task
(1967). No training required. Materials can be
created by the examiner and individually administered to the
examinees or shown on an overhead projector to a group of
examinees.
Typically the test is administered in a classroom setting.
However, the test can also been an unlimited time "take home":
since time is an issue. The majority of responses given by
the examinees in the first few minutes tend to be their least
creative.
To order the Guilford's Alternative Uses Task (1967) visit http://www.mindgarden.com (while not listed on their website they process the order via phone)
Wallas and
Kogan (1965)
Torrance Tests
of Creative Thinking (TTCT) (1974)
Back to Creativity Test: Overview page.
Back to
Creative Thinking Handout Index
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