How do famous artists write about their metacognition, self-regulation and creative problem-solving?

Abstract

Creative metacognition, creative self-regulation, and creative problem-solving are three key concepts stemming from distinct psychological traditions. However, all three involve planning, monitoring, regulation, and self-evaluation in the creative process. Therefore, the objective of the present study was to describe and compare how these three models are exhibited in the cases of five professional artists, as depicted in their autobiographical writings. The artists were selected based on maximum-variation sampling to represent different artistic fields: Stephen King, Salvador Dalí, Patti Smith, Terry Gilliam, and Arnold Schwarzenegger. A theory-driven thematic analysis, using the codes deduced from Metacognitive Awareness Inventory, the Creative Self-Regulation Questionnaire, and Mumford's model of Creative Problem-Solving, revealed both commonalities and differences in the ways these artists apply metacognitive knowledge, and self-regulatory and problem-solving strategies in their creative processes. Furthermore, the study identified several elements not included in these models, such as the need for a psychologically safe environment, the roles of extrinsic and intrinsic motivation, and the perceived value of creativity.