Chapter 7 - The Creative Self in Dialogue

Abstract

The present chapter starts from and develops the premise that the creative self is dialogical in nature. In doing so, it first considers briefly the historical roots of self research within sociocultural psychology with a particular focus on two distinct yet interrelated approaches: dialogism and pragmatism. Both of them advocate for a view of the self as multiple and relational and this understanding is used to illuminate creativity as the process enabled by and, in turn, enabling the multiplicity of the human self. A theoretical model grounded in the notions of positions, perspectives, and dialogues of and within the self is discussed and illustrated. This model is then applied to contemporary research on creative identity, creative self-efficacy, and creative mindsets in an effort to further “socialize” these lines of research. Finally, the chapter ends with a few notes regarding the importance of metacognition and reflexivity for the study of creative selves in society and culture.