The Mr. Plumbean Approach: How Focusing Constraints Anchor Creativity

ABSTRACT

Integrating research from cognitive, social, organizational, and developmental psychology, the present article builds on the idea that constraints play a key role in creativity. The Mr. Plumbean approach, which refers to the willing integration of focusing constraints for creative purposes, emphasizes the role of attitude toward constraints in creativity, the interactive nature of constraints, and the solution constraints provide to the issue of combinatorial explosion. The approach is used to: (a) highlight the generative value of constraints for creativity; (b) advance a distinction between epistemic and experiential anchors, corresponding to different sources of focusing constraints; (c) propose that not all constraints have the same effect on creativity; and (d) provide a guiding structure for future research. In addition to theoretical implications, the proposed conceptualization of constraints as sources of creativity and inspiration triggers has important practical applications, which are discussed throughout the article.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).