An examination of preference for complexity and its relation to creativity

At a theoretical level, preference for complexity was considered within the framework of creativity with the emphasis upon self-actualization as opposed to productivity. The experimental work can be divided into three main sections. I. A developmental sample of 284 children, aged from 6 to 18, and 64 parents stated their preferences to three measures comprising stimuli varying in complexity: the Revised Art Scale (RA) of the Welsh Figure Preference Test, Berlyne's Figures, and the Random Polygons, the principal score on the latter measure being the Polygon X or the average of the number of points on the figures the subject liked. In general, there is consistency of simplicity—complexity preference. Therefore, it seems more reasonable to propose that such preference taps an underlying simplicity—complexity dimension of personality. Additional evidence relevant to the construct validity of complexity preference as an index of self- actualization was provided by the study with the 53 ESN children and the study with the 19 fifth-form art students. Separating the sample into developmental subgroups, it was seen that the 6- to 7- year-olds and the adults tended to prefer less complexity on the RA and Berlyne's Figures; however, between the ages of 8 and 18, there was little change in complexity preference. The majority of subjects liked a moderate amount of complexity, that is, had scores falling within the medium range (1O-14) on the Polygon X. Furthermore, on the basis of cluster analyses, which aligned the RA, Berlyne's Figures, and the Polygon X in low, medium, and high terms, the largest number of subjects were placed in the medium scoring clusters. II. Impression Formation Tests, one suitable for children and one for adults, were administered for the purpose of discovering whether complexity preference indicates that an individual attempts to structure complexity. For the 231 children tested, no relation emerged between complexity preference and impression formation ability. For the 64 adults, positive correlations occurred between impression formation ability and complexity preference on the RA and Berlyne's Figures. Reasons for the disjunction between the children's and the adults' results were discussed. III. Responses of parents in relation to those of their children were also examined. It was suggested that it might be important to take account of the effect of both parents, as a family entity, upon the child’s complexity preference. Throughout, the findings have been interpreted with a view to the lines which future research might profitably take

Human TUBB3 mutations perturb microtubule dynamics, kinesin interactions, and axon guidance

We report that eight heterozygous missense mutations in TUBB3, encoding the neuron-specific beta-tubulin isotype III, result in a spectrum of human nervous system disorders that we now call the TUBB3 syndromes. Each mutation causes the ocular motility disorder CFEOM3, whereas some also result in intellectual and behavioral impairments, facial paralysis, and/or later-onset axonal sensorimotor polyneuropathy. Neuroimaging reveals a spectrum of abnormalities including hypoplasia of oculomotor nerves and dysgenesis of the corpus callosum, anterior commissure, and corticospinal tracts. A knock-in disease mouse model reveals axon guidance defects without evidence of cortical cell migration abnormalities. We show that the disease-associated mutations can impair tubulin heterodimer formation in vitro, although folded mutant heterodimers can still polymerize into microtubules. Modeling each mutation in yeast tubulin demonstrates that all alter dynamic instability whereas a subset disrupts the interaction of microtubules with kinesin motors. These findings demonstrate that normal TUBB3 is required for axon guidance and maintenance in mammals.Max A. Tischfield, Hagit N. Baris, Chen Wu, Guenther Rudolph, Lionel Van Maldergem, Wei He, Wai-Man Chan, Caroline Andrews, Joseph L. Demer, Richard L. Robertson, David A. Mackey, Jonathan B. Ruddle, Thomas D. Bird, Irene Gottlob, Christina Pieh, Elias I. Traboulsi, Scott L. Pomeroy, David G. Hunter, Janet S. Soul, Anna Newlin, Louise J. Sabol, Edward J. Doherty, Clara E. de Uzca´ tegui, Nicolas de Uzca´ tegui, Mary Louise Z. Collins, Emin C. Sener, Bettina Wabbels, Heide Hellebrand, Thomas Meitinger, Teresa de Berardinis, Adriano Magli, Costantino Schiavi, Marco Pastore-Trossello, Feray Koc, Agnes M. Wong, Alex V. Levin, Michael T. Geraghty, Maria Descartes, Maree Flaherty, Robyn V. Jamieson, H.U. Møller, Ingo Meuthen, David F. Callen, Janet Kerwin, Susan Lindsay, Alfons Meindl, Mohan L. Gupta, Jr., David Pellman, and Elizabeth C. Engl