Mark Bolas

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May 24, 2005

William J.J. Gordon - Synectics

Notes from "Synectics" by Willian J.J. Gordon, Harper 1961:

Synectics, from the Greek means the joining together of different and apparently irrelevant elements.

The aim of Synectics research (since 1944) has been to uncover the psychological mechanisms basic to creative activity. Observational methods were used.

Spring/Altimeter Example (page 16):

1a) Detachment
1b) Involvement
2) Deferment
3) Speculation
4) Autonomy of Object

Basic Synectic Process:

1) Make the Strange Familiar
Understand the problem - analytical phase. Understand the problem until you are at home with it.

2) Make the Familiar Strange
Distort, invert or transpose the everyday ways of looking and responding.

A South Sea Islander's pigeon-English description of a three-masted, screw steamer with two funnels: "thlee-pieces bamboo, two-pieces puff-puff, walk-along inside, no-can-see"

Techniques to Make the Familiar Strange
a) Personal Analogy - see yourself as the spring
b) Direct Analogy - use animals or other devices
c) Symbolic Analogy - use constructs or symbols
d) Fantasy Analogy - invent something that could be used as an analogy

Intuition, Deferment, Empathy, Play, Use of Irrelevance, Involvement; Detachment - these are abstract and thus difficult to teach. The four mechanisms outlined above can lead a person toward these key, abstract, psychological states.

Play and Irrelevance:

In Synectics theory, play with apparent irrelevancies is used extensively to generate energy for problem-solving and to evoke new viewpoints with respect to problems. Play generates energy because it is a pleasure in itself, an intrinsic end.

Play
While it may be true that final sanction for artist, scientist, inventor is public accpetance of the end-product, overemphaiss on the success goal masks the gratification in the creative process itself. Synectic theory implies that not all play is creative, but that all creativeity contains play.

"Play" in the creative process means the activity of floating and considering associations apparently irrelevant to the problem at hand. Play in this sense involves the constructive use of illusion, conscious self-deceit, daydreams, and of associations in gneral which seem to imply no immeidate benefit.

Irrelevance
1) Irrelevant Perception, Ideas, and Generalities - sustain a dynamic balance between distraction and learning. Page 133 - Ant Distraction Example.

2) Hedonic Response: An Irrelevance Filter - if it begins to feel good, keep going.

Synectics theory holds that there is an excitement and feeling of pleasure accompanying the selection of and signalling a valid intuition, and that people can be taught to watch for thie feeling of excitement within them. It is termed a "Hedonic Response"

3) Autonomy of Object - when the solution begins to have a life of its own

4) Accident - effectively irrelevance in motion

A Social Application - Choosing People to Work With:

1) Metaphoric Capacity
2) Attitude of Assistance
3) Kinesthetic Coordination
4) Risk (constructive vs destructive)
5) Emotional Maturity (integration of childishness into constructive acts)
6) The Capacity to Generalize
7) Commitment
8) Non-status Oriented
9) Complementary Aspect (does the person fit within the existing group)

Posted by mbolas at May 24, 2005 10:45 PM

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Posted by: pweil at June 3, 2005 02:42 PM

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