Understanding the Development of Creativity Across the Life Span

Creativity is a multifaceted construct in contemporary theories of psychology. This chapter takes the perspective of life-span developmental psychology to (1) look into the emergence of and change in creativity in childhood, adolescence, young adulthood, middle adulthood, and late adulthood and (2) examine the critical factors that may facilitate or inhibit the development of creativity in these life stages. The review suggests that a life-span approach enables us to capture the patterns of possible growth and decline in human creativity through an interconnected time perspective with reference to functions of creativity. Implications, limitations, and further directions of the life-span approach to creativity development are also discussed.