The Preconscious and Its Creative Power
John Curtis Gowan
September 17, 2026 DOI: 10.1093/oso/9780197834305.003.0044 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper |
|---|---|
| Key points | Gowan proposes that mental development extends into extraordinary development and mystical states of consciousness, and argues that creativity develops in the preconscious mind of children and adults, with play and its various forms playing a notable role. |
Abstract
Abstract In addition to his work on gifted children, child development, teacher evaluation, and creativity, John Curtis Gowan was interested in psychic phenomena related to human creativity. He developed a model of mental development extending into extraordinary development and mystical states of consciousness. In this presentation, The Preconscious and Its Creative Power, given at the eighteenth annual Creative Problem Solving Institute in 1972, Gowan goes into detail about his theories of how creativity is developed in the preconscious mind of children and adults. Of note is Gowan’s description of the role of play with respect to creativity and the various forms of play. Audio is available at https://digitalcommons.buffalostate.edu/cs-speakers/10/.