James C. Kaufman
Encyclopedia
James C. Kaufman is a psychologist known for his research on creativity. He is a Professor of Psychology at the California State University, San Bernardino
, where he is the director of the Learning Research Institute. He received his Ph.D. from Yale University
in Cognitive Psychology
, where he worked with Robert J. Sternberg. Born in Great Neck, New York, he attended the University of Southern California
as an undergraduate. His parents are psychologists Alan S. Kaufman
and Nadeen L. Kaufman
.
He is a prolific researcher and editor who is best known for his theoretical contributions to the study of creativity
. With Sternberg and Jean Pretz, he developed the propulsion model of creative contributions, outlined in The Creativity Conundrum (Psychology Press, 2002), and with John Baer developed the Amusement Park Theoretical (APT) Model of Creativity . His latest theoretical work, with Ron Beghetto, has explored the idea of expanding traditional conceptions of eminent creativity ("Big-C") and everyday creativity ("little-c") to include "mini-c" -- creativity that is inherent in the learning process—and "Pro-c" -- creativity at a professional level that has not yet had a historical impact.
Kaufman's empirical work has focused on a few different key areas. Most media attention has focused on his research on creativity and mental illness. He coined “the Sylvia Plath Effect
,” after finding that female poets were more likely to be mentally ill than other writers, in a paper in Journal of Creative Behavior, and his work on poets dying young has been featured in the New York Times, NPR, BBC, CNN, and newspapers and magazines across the world. He has recently focused on issues of creativity and fairness, arguing that creativity should be a supplemental part of college admissions
Kaufman has written and edited 21 books, including Creativity 101 (Springer, 2009), the Cambridge Handbook of Creativity
(with Sternberg; Cambridge, 2010), Essentials of Creativity Assessment (with Jonathan A. Plucker
and John Baer; Wiley, 2008), The International Handbook of Creativity (with Sternberg; Cambridge, 2006), and The Psychology of Creative Writing (with Scott Barry Kaufman
, Cambridge, 2009). He is the Series Editor of the new Psych 101 series from Springer.
He is an active journal editor. Kaufman's most recent project is the new journal published by American Psychological Association
, Psychology of Popular Media Culture. He is a founding co-editor of the official journal of the American Psychological Association
's Division 10, Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts
, which began publication in 2006. He is the Associate Editor of the Journal of Creative Behavior, published by the Creative Education Foundation
and the APA journal Psychological Assessment. He is the editor of the International Journal of Creativity and Problem Solving (formerly the Korean Journal of Thinking and Problem Solving). He has also served as the Associate Editor of Research in the Schools and has been a guest editor for four special issues, including a special issue of Creativity Research Journal devoted to Ellis Paul Torrance
. He has published over 175 papers in numerous books and journals, including American Psychologist
, Annual Review of Psychology, Review of General Psychology
, and Behavioral and Brain Sciences
. He received the 2003 Daniel E. Berlyne Award from Division 10 of the American Psychological Association
for outstanding research by a junior scholar; the National Association of Gifted Children's 2008 E. Paul Torrance Award for creativity research; and the 2009 Western Psychological Association Early Career in Research Award.
Kaufman is the president-elect of Division 10 (Society for the Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts) of the American Psychological Association
.
He is the narrator of a documentary about comic book artists called Independents, directed by Chris Brandt
.
California State University, San Bernardino
California State University, San Bernardino, also known as Cal State San Bernardino or CSUSB is a public research university and one of the twenty three general campuses of the California State University system. The main campus sits on in the suburban University District of , United States, with...
, where he is the director of the Learning Research Institute. He received his Ph.D. from Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
in Cognitive Psychology
Cognitive psychology
Cognitive psychology is a subdiscipline of psychology exploring internal mental processes.It is the study of how people perceive, remember, think, speak, and solve problems.Cognitive psychology differs from previous psychological approaches in two key ways....
, where he worked with Robert J. Sternberg. Born in Great Neck, New York, he attended the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
as an undergraduate. His parents are psychologists Alan S. Kaufman
Alan S. Kaufman
Alan S. Kaufman is an American psychology professor known for his work on intelligence testing.- Early life and career :Born in Brooklyn and raised on Long Island, Kaufman earned his bachelor's degree from the University of Pennsylvania in 1965; M.A. in Educational Psychology from Columbia...
and Nadeen L. Kaufman
Nadeen L. Kaufman
Nadeen L. Kaufman is an American psychology professor known for her work on learning disability.Born in Brooklyn and raised on Long Island, she earned a bachelor of science in Education from Hofstra University in 1965; master's degree in Educational Psychology from Columbia University in 1972; Ed.M...
.
He is a prolific researcher and editor who is best known for his theoretical contributions to the study of creativity
Creativity
Creativity refers to the phenomenon whereby a person creates something new that has some kind of value. What counts as "new" may be in reference to the individual creator, or to the society or domain within which the novelty occurs...
. With Sternberg and Jean Pretz, he developed the propulsion model of creative contributions, outlined in The Creativity Conundrum (Psychology Press, 2002), and with John Baer developed the Amusement Park Theoretical (APT) Model of Creativity . His latest theoretical work, with Ron Beghetto, has explored the idea of expanding traditional conceptions of eminent creativity ("Big-C") and everyday creativity ("little-c") to include "mini-c" -- creativity that is inherent in the learning process—and "Pro-c" -- creativity at a professional level that has not yet had a historical impact.
Kaufman's empirical work has focused on a few different key areas. Most media attention has focused on his research on creativity and mental illness. He coined “the Sylvia Plath Effect
Sylvia Plath effect
The Sylvia Plath effect is a term coined by psychologist James C. Kaufman in 2001 to refer to the phenomenon that poets are more susceptible to mental illness than other creative writers. Kaufman's work further demonstrated that female poets were more likely to suffer from mental illness than any...
,” after finding that female poets were more likely to be mentally ill than other writers, in a paper in Journal of Creative Behavior, and his work on poets dying young has been featured in the New York Times, NPR, BBC, CNN, and newspapers and magazines across the world. He has recently focused on issues of creativity and fairness, arguing that creativity should be a supplemental part of college admissions
Kaufman has written and edited 21 books, including Creativity 101 (Springer, 2009), the Cambridge Handbook of Creativity
Creativity
Creativity refers to the phenomenon whereby a person creates something new that has some kind of value. What counts as "new" may be in reference to the individual creator, or to the society or domain within which the novelty occurs...
(with Sternberg; Cambridge, 2010), Essentials of Creativity Assessment (with Jonathan A. Plucker
Jonathan A. Plucker
Jonathan Plucker is a professor of educational psychology and cognitive science at Indiana University. A well-known expert on creativity and intelligence, he is the author or editor of four books. He was the 2007-2008 president of the American Psychological Association's Society for the Psychology...
and John Baer; Wiley, 2008), The International Handbook of Creativity (with Sternberg; Cambridge, 2006), and The Psychology of Creative Writing (with Scott Barry Kaufman
Scott Barry Kaufman
Scott Barry Kaufman is an American psychologist and popular science writer specializing in the development of talent, intelligence, creativity, imagination, and personality...
, Cambridge, 2009). He is the Series Editor of the new Psych 101 series from Springer.
He is an active journal editor. Kaufman's most recent project is the new journal published by American Psychological Association
American Psychological Association
The American Psychological Association is the largest scientific and professional organization of psychologists in the United States. It is the world's largest association of psychologists with around 154,000 members including scientists, educators, clinicians, consultants and students. The APA...
, Psychology of Popular Media Culture. He is a founding co-editor of the official journal of the American Psychological Association
American Psychological Association
The American Psychological Association is the largest scientific and professional organization of psychologists in the United States. It is the world's largest association of psychologists with around 154,000 members including scientists, educators, clinicians, consultants and students. The APA...
's Division 10, Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts
Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts
Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts is the official journal of Division 10 of the American Psychological Association. Along with Creativity Research Journal, Journal of Creative Behavior, and Empirical Studies of the Arts, this journal publishes material in the field of creativity...
, which began publication in 2006. He is the Associate Editor of the Journal of Creative Behavior, published by the Creative Education Foundation
Creative Education Foundation
The Creative Education Foundation is an independent, nonprofit membership organization of leaders in the field of creativity theory and practice...
and the APA journal Psychological Assessment. He is the editor of the International Journal of Creativity and Problem Solving (formerly the Korean Journal of Thinking and Problem Solving). He has also served as the Associate Editor of Research in the Schools and has been a guest editor for four special issues, including a special issue of Creativity Research Journal devoted to Ellis Paul Torrance
Ellis Paul Torrance
Ellis Paul Torrance was an American psychologist from Milledgeville, Georgia.After completing his undergraduate degree at Mercer University, he went on to complete a Master's degree at the University of Minnesota, and then a doctorate from the University of Michigan...
. He has published over 175 papers in numerous books and journals, including American Psychologist
American Psychologist
The American Psychologist is the official academic journal of the American Psychological Association. It contains archival documents and articles covering current issues in psychology, the science and practice of psychology, and psychology's contribution to public policy...
, Annual Review of Psychology, Review of General Psychology
Review of General Psychology
, is the quarterly scientific journal of the American Psychological Association Division 1: The Society for General Psychology. Review of General Psychology publishes cross-disciplinary psychological articles that are conceptual, theoretical, and methodological in nature...
, and Behavioral and Brain Sciences
Behavioral and Brain Sciences
Behavioral and Brain Sciences is a peer-reviewed scientific journal of Open Peer Commentary founded in 1978 by Stevan Harnad and published by Cambridge University Press...
. He received the 2003 Daniel E. Berlyne Award from Division 10 of the American Psychological Association
American Psychological Association
The American Psychological Association is the largest scientific and professional organization of psychologists in the United States. It is the world's largest association of psychologists with around 154,000 members including scientists, educators, clinicians, consultants and students. The APA...
for outstanding research by a junior scholar; the National Association of Gifted Children's 2008 E. Paul Torrance Award for creativity research; and the 2009 Western Psychological Association Early Career in Research Award.
Kaufman is the president-elect of Division 10 (Society for the Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts) of the American Psychological Association
American Psychological Association
The American Psychological Association is the largest scientific and professional organization of psychologists in the United States. It is the world's largest association of psychologists with around 154,000 members including scientists, educators, clinicians, consultants and students. The APA...
.
He is the narrator of a documentary about comic book artists called Independents, directed by Chris Brandt
Chris Brandt
Chris Brandt is an American filmmaker and cartoonist, director of the documentary "Independents".-Biography:...
.
External links
- http://psychology.csusb.edu/facultyStaff/james_kaufman.htm Professional Website
- https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/and-all-jazz Psychology Today Blog