Creativity and Lawbreaking

Abstract

Lawbreaking and creativity are often conceptualized as alternative, almost competing, expressions of the general psychological disposition of deviance. Where the 2 occur together, they are mainly discussed in terms of lawbreaking by acknowledged creative people that is irrelevant to their creativity or is a byproduct of outspoken, reckless, or unbridled creativity. The deliberate application of creativity in the direct service of intentional lawbreaking is rarely discussed, possibly because of the positive connotations associated with creativity. In fact, although psychological studies mainly conceptualize it in terms of deficits, some lawbreaking involves generation of highly effective—even admirable—novelty, and some lawbreakers display psychological characteristics typically associated with creative individuals, so that a deficit model is inappropriate. Creative lawbreakers and law enforcers can be conceptualized as competitors in much the same way as businesses are competitors, and this suggests a fresh way of looking at law enforcement.