SCIENTIFIC CREATIVITY: 1983 WESTINGHOUSE SCIENCE TALENT SEARCH WINNERS' PROBLEM FINDING BEHAVIOR

Problem finding, a stage in the creative process, was investigated from four perspectives: as a process; as an outgrowth of relationships with others; as a set of factors from the Structure of the Intellect model; and as an outgrowth of attitudes associated with the social impacts of scientific research. A questionnaire designed to generate data that would answer the research questions posed in the study was completed by 146 winners of the Westinghouse Science Talent Search. Subjects were grouped by gender, science project type (physical or life); and independence in finding a research question. Data were analyzed using analysis of variance or chi square statistical tests.;The insights gained from the study should generate further research into creative processes. These findings may stimulate the incorporation of problem finding into science curricula and program development for gifted adolescents.;Four primary hypotheses served as the focus of the study. Each hypothesis paralleled one of the four perspectives on the investigation of problem finding. Hypothesis 1, which predicted that independent problem finders would consider and reject a greater number of research questions before selecting their Talent Search question, was not supported by the data. Hypotheses 2 and 3 which predicted that assisted problem finders received more help in finding a research question from adults outside of school than from teachers, and that subjects would identify factors from the Structure of the Intellect model which incorporated transformations and implications more often than other products in the model respectively, were supported by the data. The final hypothesis predicted that females, subjects who chose life science projects, and independent problem finders would demonstrate greater concern for social impacts of scientific research. The analyses of data supported the prediction for females and those who chose life science projects, however the analyses did not support the prediction for independent problem finders.