IQ and Creativity: How Intelligence Impacts Innovation

IQ and creativity are undoubtedly correlated, as intelligence is generally considered to positively influence innovation. People with high IQs are often excellent at problem-solving, viewing things from unique perspectives, and generating original ideas, all of which indicate high creativity, too.

However, since IQ and creativity are rather complex concepts, their link isn’t as straightforward as it may initially appear.

In this article, our experts will explore the relationship between IQ and creativity in more depth, help you understand what both concepts encompass, and show you what other factors affect innovation.

So, let’s dive in!

Key Takeaways

• The correlation between IQ and creativity is a positive one—the higher your IQ score, the more creative you are.
• However, evidence suggests that there is a threshold, most commonly considered to be an IQ of 120, after which intelligence doesn’t have a significant impact on creativity.
• Aside from intelligence, factors that influence creativity include personality, environment, influence, freedom of expression, and pressure.
• Average and low intelligence don’t indicate a lack of creativity—most people can be creative if they exercise their creative muscles enough.

What Is IQ?

IQ is a score that represents the level of cognitive development measured using a standardized IQ test. Typically, the score is calculated using a set of tasks that focus on mental abilities, such as working memory, pattern recognition, logical reasoning, and problem-solving.

To determine your IQ, intelligence tests compare your performance to your peer group's and express the result in percentiles. Then, these percentiles are transformed into a corresponding score on an IQ scale, which uses 100 as the true average score.

In other words, if your IQ is 100, that means you’ve performed exactly as well as 50% of your peers. However, since the majority of people (68%) fall into the 85–115 range, this is usually taken to indicate average intelligence.

In light of that, any score above 115 is considered high or gifted, while all results below 85 are labeled low and may indicate a learning disability. Of course, there are further subcategories on both ends of the scale, but these three broad categories are crucial for understanding IQ.

What Is Creativity?

A person in a suit looking at a wall filled with illustrations and ideas

Creativity is the ability to generate new ideas using imagination—sometimes, the results of a creative process are tangible, and other times, they aren’t. In either case, creativity allows you to look at the world from a unique perspective and provide valuable insight based on it or express this view in an unusual way.

Usually, people equate creativity with artistic ability, thinking that only painters, writers, filmmakers, and photographers are so-called “creative types.”

However, mathematicians, philosophers, inventors, and physicists can also be creative—just that they possess the more abstract intellectual creativity. In other words, the product of their imagination may not be a beautiful painting but instead a fascinating theory or a practical invention.

In fact, excellent problem-solving skills are a good indicator of high creativity. If you are able to think outside the box and come up with innovative solutions, you can be considered creative regardless of your profession.

It is, however, true that creative people gravitate toward careers where innovation and imagination play a crucial role.

Does IQ Impact Creativity and in Which Ways?

IQ does seem to impact creativity, but there is some disagreement on the exact nature of the relationship between the two. Nonetheless, for the most part, researchers believe that their correlation is direct—the higher your intelligence, the more creative you are.

This conclusion seems rather intuitive, considering that creativity and problem-solving are so tightly interconnected. Excellent problem-solvers usually score high on IQ tests, too, so it’s not a stretch to assume that there is a link between IQ and creativity.

Furthermore, other traits of creative people coincide with common characteristics of highly intelligent individuals: out-of-the-box thinking, cognitive flexibility, curiosity, and adaptability.

However, disagreements arise over whether intelligence is a component of creativity and vice versa, or if they are two separate but overlapping concepts.

For instance, the Cattell-Horn-Carroll theory, the most widely accepted hypothesis on the structure of cognitive abilities, considers creativity a vital component of the skill called long-term storage and retrieval (Glr).

On the other hand, a study by John Baer and James C. Kaufman of California State University proposes a model of creativity in which intelligence is a key component. While intelligence is not sufficient on its own, when combined with factors such as motivation and environment, it can give birth to creativity.

The most prevalent view, however, is that intelligence and creativity are related concepts but not necessarily components of each other. After all, it’s not that only one depends on the other—instead, they are interconnected in complex ways.

Can High IQ Negatively Impact Creativity?

Most researchers agree that high IQ benefits creativity, but there were a few opposing voices in the past that may be worth mentioning.

In 1962, J.W. Getzels and P.W. Jackson conducted a study on creativity and concluded that students with high IQs and creative students were two distinct groups. According to their findings, the correlation between these two concepts was either very low or inverse, indicating that high intelligence stood in the way of creativity.

Since then, this study has been criticized for its methodology and unclear definitions of creativity, so it’s safe to say it may not be the most reliable source. However, it is noteworthy that some of its conclusions align with the widely accepted threshold theory.

Understanding the Threshold Theory

The threshold theory proposes that creativity increases with the rise of IQ up to a specific point—the threshold—after which it plateaus. In other words, once the threshold is crossed, intelligence no longer has any significant impact on creativity.

Most researchers agree that the threshold is an IQ of 120, often considered the score that indicates superior intelligence. People with lower IQs may be less creative than those with scores of 120 and above, but geniuses with intelligence quotients above 145 aren’t necessarily more imaginative than those in the 120–130 range.

J.P. Guilford first proposed this theory in 1967, and it has been tested numerous times since. So far, the results seem fairly inconclusive—some studies support the theory, others deny it, and still others claim that it’s impossible to confirm either way since creativity is difficult to test.

Researchers M. Karwowski and J. Gralewski came up with an alternative conclusion: the threshold should be an IQ of 115, not 120. In their study of Polish students, they tested three potential thresholds and discovered that the most significant differences occurred above and below a score of 115.

What Other Factors Influence Creativity and Imagination?

An artistic representation of a brain with vibrant splashes of colorful paint

Aside from intelligence, other factors that influence creativity and imagination include the following:

#1. Personality

Some people have a natural inclination toward creative pursuits and enjoy the process of problem-solving and coming up with novel ideas. Since they like doing it, they will engage in it more often, thereby improving their creativity further.

#2. Environment

Growing up in a supportive environment that encourages your creative endeavors and out-of-the-box thinking can make all the difference.

If your family often discusses interesting concepts and your school promotes creative learning, you’re far more likely to be innovative and imaginative as an adult.

#3. Influence

Creative influence can come from a close family member or a public figure whose work you admire; either way, if it’s sufficiently strong, it can propel you to become creative, too.

For instance, if you love literature, you may look up to some of your favorite authors and, in turn, be inspired to try your hand at writing.

#4. Freedom of expression

Limited freedom results in limited creativity—when people aren’t allowed to express themselves freely, their creative muscles deteriorate. This is most notable in countries with highly restrictive political systems, where most art and philosophy turn into propaganda.

The exceptions include those who use their creativity to express rebellion, but they are usually a minority.

#5. Pressure

Surprisingly, low-level pressure can be incredibly beneficial for creativity. For instance, employees tend to come up with better solutions when the deadlines for their projects are coming up, as the added stress improves their focus.

However, long-term stress can have the opposite effect, wearing down the mind and its creative juices.

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Final Thoughts

The definitive answer to whether IQ is related to creativity is yes, although the nature of the relationship is somewhat debatable. Still, the predominant view is that high intelligence has a positive impact on innovation, as many traits of intelligent people facilitate out-of-the-box thinking.

However, that doesn’t mean people with average or lower IQs can’t be creative; many are, especially if they are born in supportive environments and given the freedom to practice. Like most skills, creative thinking can be learned, and the more you use it, the more it improves.