# Navigating the Paradox of Creativity: Pathways to Fostering Talent and Innovation

**Authors:** Lin Huang, Yan Sun, Chenchen Zhang, Yong Shao, Yuan Yuan, Wangbing Shen

PMC · DOI: 10.3390/bs16010129 · Behavioral Sciences · 2026-01-16

## TL;DR

This paper explores how creativity works and offers strategies to help people and societies foster innovation and talent.

## Contribution

The study introduces a novel framework of creativity through three interdependent dimensions, integrating cognitive, neurophysiological, and contextual insights.

## Key findings

- Creativity involves novelty with usefulness, persistence with flexibility, and divergence in convergence.
- The study bridges individual cognitive mechanisms with group dynamics and cultural contexts.
- Actionable strategies are proposed to promote sustained and adaptive creative development.

## Abstract

Creativity serves as a fundamental driver of human learning, personal development, and societal progress. This study synthesizes recent empirical and theoretical advances in educational psychology and creativity neuroscience to characterize the paradoxical nature of creative processes. We conceptualize creativity through three interdependent dimensions—novelty with usefulness, persistence alongside flexibility, and divergence in convergence—illuminating both its cognitive architecture and neurophysiological dynamics. By integrating evidence across levels, we bridge individual cognitive mechanisms with group dynamics and cultural contexts to propose actionable strategies for cultivating creativity. These findings offer critical insights into how these dimensions operate synergistically, informing the design of educational and applied interventions that promote sustained, adaptive creative development.

## Full-text entities

- **Species:** Homo sapiens (human, species) [taxon 9606]

## Full text

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## Figures

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## References

80 references — full list in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12838142/full.md

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Source: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12838142