Sometimes, often unexpectedly, individuals become aware of some solution, insight, opportunity, or possibility they had overlooked before. They might, for example, become aware that, from now on, all the skills and knowledge have been developed are relevant to a particular cause, such as elderly care. This awareness, realization, solution, or insight often seems to emerge from outside their conscious mind--almost from the ether. After they experience this awareness, they often feel an incredible urge to transmit this information or perspective to other people. They feel a profound motivation to act.
These three features--an awareness of some undiscovered possibility, the sense this awareness transpired from outside their conscious mind, and an urge to transmit this realization--are collective called inspiration. Thus, inspiration comprises three distinct, but interrelated, facets:
Research into inspiration has uncovered some interesting insights. For example, when individuals observe a remarkable feat they often feel inspired (Thrash, Maruskin, Cassidy, Fryer, & Ryan, 2010). When inspired, they often write and generate output more efficiently and concisely (Thrash, Elliot, Maruskin, & Casidy, 2010).
As shown by Thrash, Maruskin, Cassidy, Fryer, and Ryan (2010), inspiration predicts the production of creative work, whereas effort predicts the production of technical merit. Specifically, in this study, psychology students were instructed to write a paper, on any topic that was related to their course, in line with the guidelines and conventions of the American Psychological Association. Judges later rated the extent to which this paper was novel and creative as well as supported by the literature and consistent with American Psychological Association conventions.
In addition, the participants completed questions that assess the extent to which they experienced the three facets of inspiration while writing this essay: transcendence, evocation, and approach motivation, with items such as "I had important insights or revelations that I strove to express", "These ideas came to me unexpectedly or spontaneously", and "These ideas energized and motivated me" respectively. In addition, other questions evaluated the degree to which they engaged in effort, epitomized by items such as "I put forth a great deal of effort in writing this page". Interestingly, only inspiration, and not effort, was positively related to whether the work was judged as creative and novel. In contrast, effort, but not inspiration, was positively related to the technical merit of this work, represented by the degree to which the paper was supported by the literature and consistent with American Psychological Association conventions.
A further study, also reported by Thrash, Maruskin, Cassidy, Fryer, and Ryan (2010), showed the motivation to transmit or actualize these insights or opportunities ensured that individuals expressed their ideas efficiently. To demonstrate, in this study, participants read a fragment of a mystery, about a man and woman alarmed by a nearby sound. Participants first generated as idea about how to complete this story. They were also granted 30 minutes to write this ending.
In addition, participants specified the extent to which they felt their idea was inspiring. Interestingly, if they felt inspired by their idea, they wrote the ending more efficiently. In particular, most of the words they typed were retained in the final draft rather than deleted during the process. Furthermore, they wrote more words across the course of this task. Finally, they used shorter words--words that can be typed more efficiently.
As Thrash, Elliot, Maruskin, and Casidy (2010) showed, experiences of illumination can promote wellbeing. In the first study, some participants watched an inspiring video, depicting the extraordinary talents and performance of Michael Jordan. Other participants merely watched a screen saver. Next, participants completed questionnaire that assessed their positive and negative affect, specifying the extent to which they felt excited or upset, for example. In addition, they completed a questionnaire to determine the extent to which they felt inspired.
The degree to which they felt inspired was positively related to positive affect but not related to negative affect. Furthermore, the inspiring video increased levels of positive affect, mediated by the reported level of inspiration. The inspiring video also diminished levels of negative affect--but level of inspiration did not mediate this effect (Thrash, Elliot, Maruskin, & Casidy, 2010).
The second study was similar, but explored more extensive measures of wellbeing, and controlled social desirability and personality. Furthermore, this study was longitudinal, conducted over a period of three months, called a cross-lagged design.
First, participants completed a measure of personality& that is, the five factors--extraversion, neuroticism, agreeableness, conscientious, and openness were assessed, using the NEO-FFI (see five factor model of personality. A few days later they completed a measure of social desirability biases, using the Paulhus deception scales (see socially desirable responsing). In addition, on this day, they completed a set of scales, all representing various forms of subjective and eudaimonic wellbeing: positive affect, negative affect, list satisfaction, vitality (e.g., "I feel alive and vital"), and self actualization (e.g., ""It is better to be yourself than to be popular"). The next day, they completed the trait version of the inspiration scale. Finally, several months later, the wellbeing of participants was again tested.
Significantly, inspiration at one time was positively related to all facets of wellbeing, except negative affect, three months later. These relationships persisted even after personality, social desirability biases, and previous wellbeing were controlled. These findings, thus, indicate that inspiration might subsequently improve wellbeing (Thrash, Elliot, Maruskin, & Casidy, 2010).
The third study was similar to the second study, apart from two key amendments. First, in addition to trait inspiration, a measure of goal inspiration was included. Participants specified eight goals they would like to achieve. For each goal, they answered two questions, such as "I am inspired to reach this goal". Second, inspiration was measured at both times.
Two key findings emerged. Trait and goal inspiration at one time predicted improvements in wellbeing several months later. In contrast, wellbeing at one time did not predict changes in inspiration several months later. Thus, inspiration facilitates wellbeing rather than vice versa.
Thrash, Elliot, Maruskin, and Casidy (2010) contend that purpose in life and gratitude should mediate the association between inspiration and wellbeing. First, these authors maintain that inspiration should instill purpose in life. Purpose in life emerges when individuals feel connected to something that transcends the self (cf., Buber, 1996;; Seligman, 2002). Furthermore, purpose in life emanates from the pursuit of valued goals--goals that seem to be inherently or intrinsically significant (Emmons, 1999).
Inspiration implies an awareness of unrecognized opportunities& individuals thus feel they can transcend the self, integral to purpose in life. Similarly, the motivation to promulgate or actualize this awareness implies the insight is intrinsically important and valuable. Thus, inspiration should instill a sense of purpose in life (Thrash, Elliot, Maruskin, & Casidy, 2010), which is often regarded as a key source of wellbeing (e.g., Keyes, Shmotkin, & Ryff, 2002;; Zika & Chamberlain, 1992).
Furthermore, inspiration should elicit gratitude. Gratitude is the response that individuals feel when they receive a gift, in some sense--that is, they experience some gain or benefit that can be attributed to someone else (e.g., Solomon, 1983). Inspiration should inculcate this sense of gratitude. That is, inspiration implies that individuals have become aware of a desirable opportunity, representing a gain, that emanated from some other origin. This gratitude, in turn, has been shown to be associated with wellbeing (e.g., Adler, M. G., & Fagley, 2005).
Thrash, Elliot, Maruskin, and Casidy (2010) conducted a study to assess these propositions. This study showed that purpose in life, represented by items like "I have no goals or aims at all" versus "I have very clear goals and aims", and gratitude, represented by the degree to which individuals felt grateful and thankful, mediated the association between inspiration and wellbeing (Thrash, Elliot, Maruskin, & Casidy, 2010).
Thrash and Elliot (2004) distinguish two main processes in inspiration: inspired by and inspired to. The first process entails the appreciation and recognition of an evocative opportunity, possibility, insight, awareness, and understanding, called inspired by. Transcendence and evocation manifest this process. The second process is the urge to extend, disseminate, utilize, and promulgate this opportunity, called inspired to. Approach motivation manifests this process. Confirmatory factor analysis substantiated these propositions (Thrash & Elliot, 2004).
Thrash and Elliot (2004) maintain this distinction between inspired by and inspired to is important. In particular, this distinction implies that individuals might be inspired by an opportunity or awareness, regardless of their motivational concerns. These authors, for example, allude to the possibility that individuals can be inspired by the Grand Canyon, but nor inspired to act in response.
When individuals observe extraordinary skill and performance, they often experience this inspiration (e.g., Thrash & Elliot, 2004). In one study, conducted by Thrash, Elliot, Maruskin, and Casidy (2010), some participants watched two video clips of Michael Jordan, the basketball player. These clips portrayed remarkable performance and task mastery (Thrash & Elliot, 2008). Other participants, in the control condition, watched a saver on a computer screen instead.
Next, participants completed a state variant of the inspiration scale, with items like "I was inspired to do something". Relative to participants who watched the computer screen saver, participants who watched the Michael Jordan clip reported elevated levels of inspiration.
Conceivably, however, remarkable performance can promote envy rather than inspiration. if individuals are aware of differences between themselves and this inspiring person, a sense of inspiration tends to be elicited. Conversely, if individuals consider similarities between themselves and this inspiring person, negative affective states might be evoked (LeBouf & Estes, 2004). After individuals consider these similarities, this remarkable person becomes a benchmark of comparison& they might perceive themselves as incompetent in comparison (for empirical support, see LeBouf & Estes, 2004;; for related studies, see Lockwood & Kunda, 1997).
Thrash, Maruskin, Cassidy, Fryer, and Ryan (2010) showed that creative ideas inspire a sense of inspiration rather than vice versa. In the first study conducted by Thrash, Maruskin, Cassidy, Fryer, and Ryan (2010), participants completed a questionnaire each week, over a month. The questionnaire assessed both creative ideation, with items like "How often do you think of creative solutions to problems", and inspiration, with items like "How often did you (feel inspired) during the past week".
Confirmatory factor analysis confirmed that creative ideation and inspiration were distinct& structural equation modeling showed that creative ideation tended to proceed inspiration& that is, creative ideation one week tended to predict inspiration the next week, rather than vice versa.
In a subsequent study, also reported by Thrash, Maruskin, Cassidy, Fryer, and Ryan (2010), participants were instructed to write a poem about the human condition. Next, they evaluated whether they felt the seminal idea or ideas were original, unique, and creative. In addition, they assessed whether they felt inspired, with items like "I was inspired to write". Finally, nine judges evaluated the poem& they assessed the degree to which the poem was creative, novel, original, and unusual as well as written grammatically and correctly.
Structural equation modeling indicated that fit was highest in a model that assumed that creative ideas, as represented by whether the seminal idea seemed novel, was related to inspiration, which in turn predicted whether the poem was judged as creative. That is, creative ideation seems to evoke a sense of inspiration, and this inspiration compels individuals to express these novel and original insights or ideas (Thrash, Maruskin, Cassidy, Fryer, & Ryan, 2010).
In this study, participants had also specified the degree to which they felt awe while they completed this task and dedicated effort to the activity. Awe predicted the degree to which the writing was grammatical and correct. Effort predicted the likelihood that individuals ensured the poem rhymes.
Inspiration does entail transcendence--an awareness of unrecognized possibility. Thus, inspiration should be more pronounced in individuals who can surpass habitual patterns of thought and embrace novel perspectives, called receptive engagement (Thrash & Elliot, 2004). According to Thrash and Elliot (2004), this receptive engagement is epitomized by concepts like openness to aesthetics--a facet of openness to experience--as well as absorption and self forgetfulness. Thrash and Elliot (2004) did indeed show these variables are related to inspiration and, specifically, transcendence.
Both trait and state measures of inspiration have been developed (see Thrash & Elliot, 2003). Trait measures reflect the tendency of individuals to experience inspiration, either frequently or intensely. State measures assess whether a specific task, such as writing a poem, evoked this inspiration (Thrash & Elliot, 2003).
The trait measure comprises four items, each rated twice. The four items entail "I experience inspiration, "Something I encounter or experience inspires me", "I am inspired to do something", and "I feel inspired". For each ite m, participants rate "How often does this happen" to represent frequency and "How deeply or strongly (in general" to represent intensity, each on seven point rating scales. Internal consistency exceeded 0.9 for each subscale--frequency and intensity--as well as overall. Test-retest correlation over 7.5 weeks was .77 (.Thrash & Elliot, 2003).
Across a few studies, Thrash and Elliot (2003) also examined factors that correlated with inspiration. Inspiration was positively associated with behavioral activation, sometimes called BAS (see a href= /psyarticle.asp?id=309
A state variant of this measure is also sometimes administered, usually after individuals complete a specific task, like a poem (Thrash, Maruskin, Cassidy, Fryer, and Ryan (2010). The items need to be adapted but only slightly. The stem "I experience inspiration" is changed to "I experienced inspiration", for example.
Other measures of inspiration have been developed. Thrash, Maruskin, Cassidy, Fryer, and Ryan (2010), for example, administered a state variant of inspiration that also distinguishes the three facets: transcendence, evocation, and approach motivation.
Two of the studies conducted by Thrash, Maruskin, Cassidy, Fryer, and Ryan (2010) have attempted to clarify the nomological network of inspiration. Specifically, participants were instructed to write a poem about the human condition and, then, rate the extent to which they felt the seminal idea or ideas were creative. Next, they answered a series of questions on the perceived origin of these ideas, such as whether the idea seemed to emerge from conscious deliberation, the unconscious mind, a supernatural source, careful deliberation, and automatic processes. Similarly, the extent to which the ideas emerged suddenly, provoked surprise, seemed gripping, and surfaced as a complete idea was assessed. Finally, participants completed a scale to ascertain whether they experienced a sense of inspiration.
The correlations between the perceived origin of these ideas and inspiration uncovered some key insights. In particular, inspiration was positively associated with the sense the idea emerged automatically and suddenly from an unconscious or spiritual origin, often as a complete rather than partial insight that seemed gripping and riveting.
Thrash and Elliot (2004), in Study 1, investigated the nomological network of the three facets separately: transcendence, evocation, and approach motivation. In one study, for example, some participants were asked to write about an experience in which they felt inspired. Other participants wrote a typical experience in their everyday life.
Compared to other participants, individuals who wrote about an inspiring event were more likely to report some of the states that characterize transcendence. They experienced elevated levels of spirituality and meaning, as derived from self report measures. They also used more words that reflect insight, such as "realized".
In addition, individuals who wrote about the inspiring event were more likely to report states that reflect evocation. Self report measures indicated they felt more passive, rather than exerted willful control, during the task.
Finally, these individuals demonstrated more approach motivation. They experienced more positive affect, and less negative affect, than did participants who did not write about an inspiring event. They also reported they felt more involved in the task.
Thrash and Elliot (2004), in Study 2, replicated this process, apart from a few changes. First, in the control condition, participants wrote about an event that provoked positive affective states but not inspiration. Second, after this essay, they completed more measures. The findings were similar to the previous study but more extensive in scope. Manifestations of transcendence did not only entail spirituality and meaning but also illumination, openness, and state introversion. The sense that someone else, rather than participants themselves, were responsible for the work manifested evocation. Manifestations of approach motivation included not only positive emotions and task involvement but also goal clarity and motivational strength.
Research has not yet confirmed the brain regions and neurophysiological processes that underpin inspiration. Nevertheless, the regions that underpin related states, such as insight, have been explored. An important caveat, however, is that inspiration is not equivalent to insight. Insight entails a powerful sense of surprise (Bowden & Jung-Beeman, 2003). Inspiration is not related to surprise after controlling positive mood states (Thrash, Maruskin, Cassidy, Fryer, & Ryan, 2010).
Bowden and Jung-Beeman (2003) showed that insight experiences tend to be associated with the right hemisphere. In one study, participants competed a remote associates task--a task in which the solutions sometimes materialize suddenly, called insight. Specifically, on each trial, three words appeared, such as palm, shoe, and house. The task of participants was to uncover a term that, if combined with each item, would form a compound word or phrase. They were granted seven seconds to answer. If they could not answer in this time, a word appeared, on either the left or right of the screen, which participants had to name as rapidly as possible. Next, they had to decide whether this word was indeed the solution or answer to the previous problem. Finally, they specified the extent to which they experienced a sense of insight.
Often, even if participants could not identify the answer in seven seconds, they could name words more rapidly if these terms were indeed the answers than if these words were not the answers. In other words, the solution, even if not identified, was perhaps partially activated. Interesting, this finding was primarily observed if these solutions were presented to the left side, corresponding to the right hemisphere.
This finding is consistent with the right hemisphere course semantic coding theory (e.g., Beeman & Bowden, 2000;; Beeman, Bowden, & Gernsbacher, 2000;; Beeman, Friedman, Grafman, Perez, Diamond, & Lindsay, 1994;; Nakagawa, 1991;; Titone, 1998). In particular, according to this theory, the right hemisphere, when exposed to a word, represents this term more diffusely. That is, many concepts that are only remotely associated with this word are partly activated. The left hemisphere, when exposed to a word, represents this term more precisely, activating only concepts that are closely associated with this word& only a single interpretation of this word also prevails.
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Last Update: 7/11/2016