177. Intimations of Creativity | Dr. Scott Barry Kaufman
Jun 17, 2021
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In this discussion, Dr. Scott Barry Kaufman, a cognitive scientist and host of The Psychology Podcast, dives deep into the complexities of human potential and creativity. He critiques traditional IQ tests, emphasizing the need for a more nuanced understanding of intelligence. The conversation explores the intersection of personality traits, creativity, and humanistic psychology, touching on Maslow's insights about motivation. They also reflect on the role of technology in education, the importance of human connection, and the dynamics of power in relationships.
Cognitive science explores human potential through interdisciplinary collaboration in psychology, neuroscience, and more.
Creativity is influenced by genetic, environmental factors, and self-transcendence experiences.
Openness to experience is associated with creative achievements, perceptual range, and political beliefs.
Humanistic psychology emphasizes holistic understanding of individuals beyond behaviorism and psychopathology.
Integration of emotions and needs, along with striking a balance between stability and plasticity, are crucial for human behavior.
Deep dives
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Dr. Scott Barry Kaufman discusses cognitive science, intelligence, and creativity
In this podcast episode, Dr. Scott Barry Kaufman, a cognitive scientist, joins Jordan B. Peterson to discuss cognitive science, intelligence, and creativity. Dr. Kaufman highlights the interdisciplinary nature of cognitive science, which brings together experts from psychology, philosophy, neuroscience, and computer science to explore the functions and limits of the human mind. They delve into the concept of intelligence, its multiple general cognitive mechanisms, its relationship with working memory, and the role of IQ tests in predicting performance and potential. They also explore the complexity of creativity, the influence of genetic and environmental factors, and the potential of self-transcendence and altered states of consciousness in fostering creativity.
The relationship between openness to experience and personality traits
They delve into the relationship between openness to experience and personality traits. Openness to experience is found to be closely associated with creative achievement, novel learning, absorption, and self-transcendence experiences. It is also linked to a broader perceptual range and a curiosity-driven mindset. Moreover, they discuss the association between openness and political beliefs, highlighting how openness to experience, coupled with an inclination towards free information flow, plays a role in political ideologies.
Dr. Jordan B. Peterson and Dr. Scott Barry Kaufman discuss humanistic psychology and self-actualization
The podcast episode further explores the field of humanistic psychology and the concept of self-actualization. The humanistic psychology movement emerged in the 1950s and 1960s, challenging the dominant psychological approaches by emphasizing the investigation of the whole person and higher principles. Dr. Kaufman and Dr. Peterson discuss the importance of understanding individuals beyond psychopathology and behaviorism, embracing subjective experiences and consciousness. They highlight the integration of various psychological traits within a person's system and emphasize the need for a holistic approach to studying and understanding human potential.
Integration and the Hierarchy of Needs
The podcast explores the idea of integration and its importance in understanding the hierarchy of needs. The speaker emphasizes that integrating various emotions and experiences in a healthy way can be beneficial. The discussion highlights the misconception surrounding Maslow's hierarchy of needs, including the idea of a pyramid representation. The integration of needs and the concept of a whole personality are considered crucial, and the importance of updating psychology textbooks is emphasized.
The Being and Deprivation Realms
The podcast delves into the distinction between the being and deprivation realms of human existence as proposed by Maslow. It is argued that the being realm, where individuals see the world on its own terms and experience transcendence, can be reached even in the midst of deprivation. The concept of integration is key, as it allows suffering and lower-level needs to be integrated into a higher-order structure. This integration leads to a holistic perspective and a better understanding of universal human values.
The Balance of Stability and Plasticity
The podcast discusses the significance of striking a balance between stability and plasticity in human behavior. The speaker integrates Maslow's hierarchy of needs with modern personality psychology, illustrating how stability and plasticity can be mapped onto the Big Five personality traits. It is argued that an optimal cybernetic system involves the integration of both stability and plasticity. This balance allows individuals to resist distractions and pursue higher goals while remaining flexible and open to change.
The Evolutionary Role of Sexual Selection
Sexual selection is emphasized as a driving force for evolutionary progress, suggesting that conscious choice plays a crucial role in determining reproductive success. While natural selection is important, sexual selection, particularly in human beings, is argued to have a greater impact on successful reproduction. Men and women have different selection pressures, with women often choosing partners who demonstrate traits of competence and generosity, while men tend to focus on attributes like youth. The conscious directionality in mate choice is seen as a significant factor in evolutionary progress.
The Pleasure of Mentoring and the Meaning of Life
The pleasure and meaning derived from mentoring others is discussed, highlighting the deep satisfaction and sense of purpose it brings. The act of recognizing and nurturing the potential in others is identified as a source of profound joy and fulfillment. This concept is seen as a higher order value and transcendent experience. It is contrasted with power-seeking behaviors and hierarchical dominance, emphasizing that the pleasure derived from mentorship far surpasses the transient and ultimately unsatisfying pleasures associated with power.
On this Season 4, Episode 31 of the Jordan Peterson Podcast, Jordan is joined by Dr. Scott Barry Kaufman. Dr. Scott Barry Kaufman is a cognitive scientist exploring the limits of human potential. He hosts the very popular podcast 'The Psychology Podcast'. He is an author, editor, and co-editor of nine books including his newest 'Transcend: The New Science of Self Actualization'.
Dr. Kaufman and Jordan discussed cognitive science, behavioral study, and Humanism. They also touched on many points including IQ. tests, personality traits, aggression in hierarchy, dating intelligence, self-actualization, long-form media, and much more.
Find more Scott Kaufman on his website https://scottbarrykaufman.com/, in his books, and on his podcast show The Psychology Podcast
The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast can be found at https://www.jordanbpeterson.com/podcast/
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