Donald Campbell's Model of the Creative Process: Creativity as Blind Variation and Selective Retention
Abstract
This special issue honors Donald Campbell, who died on May 6, 1996. Although Campbell became best known for his methodological contributions, he also published a classic 1960 paper in which he developed a blind‐variation and selective‐retention model of the creative process. Not only does this Darwinian model accurately describe Campbell's own creative modus operandi, but in addition it may provide the basis for a comprehensive theory of creativity. The articles collected for this special issue are devoted to evaluating Campbell's theoretical proposal from the hindsight of nearly 40 years of research and thinking on the creative process.
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Claims the paper makes
Cites
Blind variation and selective retentions in creative thought as in other knowledge processes
Campbell, D. T. (1960) · Psychological Review · doi:10.1037/h0040373 · Cited by 2,329 · see citing works
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Creativity on tap? The effect of creativity anxiety under evaluative pressure
Bullock Muir, A., Tribe, B., & Forster, S. (2025) · Creativity Research Journal · doi:10.1080/10400419.2024.2330800 · Cited by 6 · see citing works
- Authors
- SIMONTON, D. K.
- Affiliations
- University of California, Davis (US)
- Corresponding author
- SIMONTON, DEAN KEITH
- ORCID
- SIMONTON, DEAN KEITH
- Venue
- The Journal of Creative Behavior
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 1998-09
- Volume
- 32
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 153-158
- ISSN
- 0022-0175 (ISSN-L)
- 2162-6057
- OpenAlex
- W2044682467
- Cited by
- 59
- References
- 1
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 2 · 2020: 1 · 2018: 2 · 2017: 1 · 2016: 3 · 2015: 3 · 2014: 2 · 2013: 3 · 2012: 4
- FWCI
- 2.43
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- The Journal of Creative Behavior (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Creativity in Education and Neuroscience
- Physical Sciences › Engineering › Mechanical Engineering › Design Education and Practice
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Cognitive Science and Education Research
- Keywords
- Donald Campbell, creative process, creativity theory, creative cognition
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