The Power of Creativity
Julie Israel once said that “Creative people do not see things for what they are; they see them for what they can be.” It is in this statement which lies the truth about perception. To celebrate the power of creativity, specifically the way in which autists see the world around them, we will explore the vast uniqueness of how the autistic community holds the depth of creativity, passion and wonder within their authentic way of thinking and perception.
For many years, it was believed that people with autism were at a disadvantage when it came to perceptual thinking, however a British study, published in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders indicated that autism excels in the creation of unusual and authentic ideas. The study was conducted with the goal of examining the creative thinking and inventive abilities of autistic people and non-autistic people. Approximately 300 participants took part in the study and the results concluded that although autists provided fewer responses to the problems presented, their solutions were more original and creative compared to the participants without autistic traits. In a “divergent thinking” task during the study, participants were asked to list possible uses for a paper clip. Some of the more creative responses were that a paper clip could be used as a sort of wire to hold together a bunch of flowers, as well as that a paper airplane weight could be made from the paper clips, and lastly, that a paper clip could be used as a token for a game.
Although this study proves to be rather remarkable, it is also awe-inspiring to us because it demonstrates not only a more inclusive space for autistic people in terms of social and cultural acceptance, but more importantly, it demonstrates the potential progression towards more inclusive spaces within scientific exploration and discovery fields for autistic people. Individuals with ASD such as Greta Thunberg and even Elon Musk have also been exemplary pioneers for the autistic community. The creation of new ideas in all various spheres of music, science, art, nature, biology, and even philosophy is limitless. Life is a blank canvas and we’re so excited for our beloved community to feel empowered by this knowledge and to wake up every day feeling motivated and encouraged to leave their mark on this world.
References
Cha, A.E. (2021) Study: Autism, creativity and divergent thinking may go hand in hand, The Washington Post. Available at: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-health/wp/2015/08/25/study-autism-creativity-and-divergent-thinking-may-go-hand-in-hand/ (Accessed: 10 June 2023).
