Individual Differences Research

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Individual Differences Research > Volume 19 (2021) > e19005

The Architecture of Creativity: Cognitive-Productive and Expressive-Experiential Dimensions in the Scale of Creative Attributes and Behavior

Kathryn E. Kelly

Abstract

The present study replicated and extended the factor structure of the Scale of Creative Attributes and Behavior (SCAB; Kelly, 2004) in an undergraduate sample. A principal components analysis of the 20 SCAB items reproduced the original five factors: Creative Engagement, Creative Cognitive Style, Spontaneity, Tolerance, and Fantasy. These factors accounted for 65% of the variance and demonstrating adequate internal consistency. A second principal components analysis using subscale scores revealed two higher-order dimensions: a Cognitive-Productive factor (engagement and cognitive style) and an Expressive-Experiential factor (spontaneity, tolerance, and fantasy), together accounting for 59% of the variance. These findings refine the SCAB’s hierarchical structure and suggest that creativity comprises both disciplined, intellectually focused, and affectively open, imaginative forms of expression. Results confirm the scale’s factorial validity, reliability, and theoretical relevance for assessing multidimensional creativity within personality research.