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Dissertation
Creativity as a life skill: intercollegiate student-athletes managing simultaneous roles
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Drexel University
Jun 2001
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17918/00000776
Abstract
The goal of this quantitative and qualitative study was to investigate one population of Division I intercollegiate student-athletes (n = 63) to determine how creativity manifests itself as a heuristic for dealing with the simultaneous roles of athlete and scholar, and if creativity is used as a life skill. This study has several purposes: (a) to collect baseline data to understand how student-athletes perceive and manage these simultaneous roles, and further, if they experience dual-role conflict and why; (b) to assess the creative abilities of student-athletes and their coaches; (c) to explore whether or not creative abilities help student-athletes to manage their simultaneous roles; and (d) to investigate awareness of and use of creativity in movement and in sport. Participants completed the Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking (TTCT), the Athletic Identity Measurement Scale (AIMS) as well as two dual-role conflict instruments. The researcher developed new instruments to assess the use of creativity in solving a dual-role conflict scenario and the use of creativity in sports. Both quantitative and qualitative research designs were incorporated into this descriptive study. The results of this study showed that the subjects demonstrated average to above average creativity (TTCT), had somewhat strong athletic identities (AIMS), minimal to moderate dual-role conflict, and positive attitudes towards their roles as students. Divergent thinking characteristics identified by Torrance, namely: "fluency", "flexibility", "originality" and "resistance to premature closure" were assessed. These divergent thinking factors may contribute to the subjects' ability to manage simultaneous roles as students and as athletes. Through this research, a new instrument was developed to assess creative aspects of movement used by athletes (Creative Movement Checklist for Athletes), which builds on Torrance's work in creative movement with children.
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Details
- Title
- Creativity as a life skill
- Creators
- Rebecca Weidensaul Gigli
- Contributors
- Fredricka K. Reisman (Advisor)
- Awarding Institution
- Drexel University
- Degree Awarded
- Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
- Publisher
- Drexel University; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Number of pages
- xi, 202 pages
- Resource Type
- Dissertation
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Psychology, Sociology, and Anthropology [Historical]; College of Arts and Sciences; Drexel University
- Other Identifier
- 991014970213604721