Intelligent or creative, or both?: The relationship between intelligence and mathematical  creativity in primary school children.

Numerous studies have been directed to the interaction between intelligence and (mathematical) creativity. However, there is no consistency in the results of these studies they are mostly based on adolescents and/or adults. This study aims to understand the relationship between intelligence and mathematical creativity by examining these constructs among primary school children in the age of 8 to 12. The sample was collected in The Netherlands among nine primary schools and consists of 334 students. A verbal intelligence subtask was conducted to determine the verbal intelligence level of students in either low, average or high. A mathematical divergent thinking task was conducted to determine the mathematical creativity score of students, the score is based on the creativity components fluency, flexibility and originality. The results indicate a positive relationship between intelligence and mathematical creativity. Students with the highest intelligence scores also have the highest...Show moreNumerous studies have been directed to the interaction between intelligence and (mathematical) creativity. However, there is no consistency in the results of these studies they are mostly based on adolescents and/or adults. This study aims to understand the relationship between intelligence and mathematical creativity by examining these constructs among primary school children in the age of 8 to 12. The sample was collected in The Netherlands among nine primary schools and consists of 334 students. A verbal intelligence subtask was conducted to determine the verbal intelligence level of students in either low, average or high. A mathematical divergent thinking task was conducted to determine the mathematical creativity score of students, the score is based on the creativity components fluency, flexibility and originality. The results indicate a positive relationship between intelligence and mathematical creativity. Students with the highest intelligence scores also have the highest mathematical creativity scores. Accordingly, students with average or low intelligence scores have a significantly lower level of mathematical creativity than students with high intelligence scores. No support was obtained for the hypothesis that the relationship between originality and intelligence would be stronger than the relationship between intelligence and fluency and flexibility. These results are discussed in light of domain-specificity, executive functions, uncontrolled variables and reliability.Numerous studies have been directed to the interaction between intelligence and (mathematical) creativity. However, there is no consistency in the results of these studies they are mostly based on adolescents and/or adults. This study aims to understand the relationship between intelligence and mathematical creativity by examining these constructs among primary school children in the age of 8 to 12. The sample was collected in The Netherlands among nine primary schools and consists of 334 students. A verbal intelligence subtask was conducted to determine the verbal intelligence level of students in either low, average or high. A mathematical divergent thinking task was conducted to determine the mathematical creativity score of students, the score is based on the creativity components fluency, flexibility and originality. The results indicate a positive relationship between intelligence and mathematical creativity. Students with the highest intelligence scores also have the highest mathematical creativity scores. Accordingly, students with average or low intelligence scores have a significantly lower level of mathematical creativity than students with high intelligence scores. No support was obtained for the hypothesis that the relationship between originality and intelligence would be stronger than the relationship between intelligence and fluency and flexibility. These results are discussed in light of domain-specificity, executive functions, uncontrolled variables and reliability.Show less

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Intelligent or creative, or both? The relationship between intelligence and mathematical creativity in primary school children.