While both intelligence (IQ) and creativity (CQ) scores were climbing in the U.S. before 1990, creativity has since taken an alarming downward turn. Research by Kyung Hee Kim, a professor at William & Mary University, found that imaginative creativity for both children and adults has declined significantly over the past few decades.
Kim analyzed nearly 300,000 Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking—a series of simple exercises that measure imagination and creative problem-solving—completed by Americans of all ages between 1968 and 2008. She found that both CQ and IQ scores were rising steadily before starting to decline in 1990. She published her findings in 2011 in a paper titled The Creativity Crisis, suggesting that children were becoming less imaginative and less likely to come up with original ideas than previous generations.
Kim argued the decline could be a result of a broader cultural shift. She pointed to factors like children having less time for free play, as well as increased time spent on screens. Kim also theorized that the rise of standardized testing in schools created a growing pressure on children to get the “right” answer instead of exploring ideas, making mistakes, and using their imagination.
While Kim’s 2011 study sparked concerns about declining creativity, experts are still debating whether we’re actually becoming less creative or simply expressing creativity in different ways. Many agree that creative thinking is a skill that needs to be consistently nurtured, which is something that may become even more challenging as AI and digital technology become a bigger part of our everyday lives.
Despite these concerns, there are still plenty of ways to foster your creativity. Spending time in nature, keeping a journal, allowing yourself to daydream (instead of scrolling), or taking part in art classes can all help you see the world in new ways. Seeking out fresh experiences—like visiting a museum, reading a book on a new subject, or playing an instrument—can also spark new ideas and inspire creative thinking.
In 2016, Kim published a book, Creativity Challenge: How We Can Recapture American Innovation, sharing her 20 years of research and what practical steps we can take to improve our creative potential.
The Creativity Crisis study by researcher Kyung Hee Kim found that imaginative creativity for both children and adults has declined significantly since 1990.
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