Complete Bibliography & Further Reading
The science behind creativity development and flow states
UBCreative2 is built on decades of rigorous research in creativity science, flow psychology, and innovation studies. This page provides a comprehensive bibliography of the academic works, books, and research papers that inform the product's 9 evidence-based creativity dimensions and 28 modules. Each source is available through Amazon with direct purchase links.
The foundational research upon which UBCreative2's 9 creativity dimensions are built:
1996 • HarperCollins
The definitive study of creative individuals across domains. Based on nearly 100 interviews with remarkable creative people—from Nobel laureates and artists to business innovators—Csikszentmihalyi reveals the internal and external conditions that nurture the creative process and how anyone can enhance their creative output.
1996 • Westview Press
Amabile's Componential Theory of Creativity identifies the three essential components that must converge for creative achievement: domain-relevant skills (expertise), creativity-relevant processes (cognitive flexibility), and intrinsic task motivation. This Harvard Business School research revolutionized our understanding of what enables creativity.
Essential texts from the founders and leaders of creativity research:
1990 • Harper & Row
The classic work that introduced "flow" to popular culture. Csikszentmihalyi explains how to achieve states of complete absorption where our best work emerges naturally—the foundation for understanding peak creative performance.
2013 • Crown Business
From the founders of IDEO and Stanford's d.school, this book shows how to tap into your creative abilities. The Kelleys demonstrate that creativity is not a fixed trait but a skill that can be developed through practice and mindset shifts.
2011 • Harvard Business Review Press
Based on analyzing nearly 12,000 diary entries from workers, Amabile reveals how small victories fuel creative motivation. This research shows why consistent progress—not just big breakthroughs—matters for sustained creativity.
2013 • Jossey-Bass
Creativity researcher Keith Sawyer synthesizes decades of scientific research into eight concrete steps for developing creative potential. Based on extensive studies of creative individuals and organizations across disciplines.
Research-based books that translate creativity science into daily practice:
2016 • Viking
Wharton professor Adam Grant explores how creative people champion new ideas and fight groupthink. Based on research across industries, he reveals surprising insights about what enables original thinking and successful innovation.
2012 • Workman Publishing
A practical manifesto for creativity in the digital age. Kleon presents ten principles for developing your creative voice, drawing on the work of artists, writers, and thinkers who've navigated the creative journey.
2015 • Riverhead Books
The author of Eat, Pray, Love shares insights about the creative process, addressing fear, courage, and the mystery of inspiration. Gilbert combines personal experience with wisdom from other creative practitioners.
2002 • Black Irish Entertainment
A powerful exploration of the internal obstacles that prevent creative expression. Pressfield names "Resistance" as the universal enemy of creativity and provides strategies for overcoming it consistently.
2013 • Knopf
A fascinating exploration of the daily routines of 161 creative minds—from Beethoven to Picasso to Toni Morrison. Reveals how successful creators structure their time and habits to support sustained creative output.
2005 • Riverhead Books
Pink argues that creative, empathic, and big-picture thinking are increasingly essential in the modern economy. He identifies six essential aptitudes for thriving in the Conceptual Age.
Peer-reviewed research underlying UBCreative2's evidence-based approach:
Amabile, T. M. (1983). Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 45(2), 357-376.
The foundational paper introducing the Componential Theory of Creativity—identifying domain-relevant skills, creativity-relevant processes, and task motivation as the three essential components of creative achievement.
Csikszentmihalyi, M., & Nakamura, J. (2010). In M. Csikszentmihalyi, Flow and the Foundations of Positive Psychology (pp. 207-223). Springer.
A comprehensive review of flow research, including its relationship to creativity and the conditions that enable optimal creative experience.
Scott, G., Leritz, L. E., & Mumford, M. D. (2004). Creativity Research Journal, 16(4), 361-388.
Meta-analysis of 70 creativity training studies showing significant effects (d = 0.68) on creative performance. Cognitive-based training approaches—like those emphasized in UBCreative2—showed particularly strong results.
Hennessey, B. A., & Amabile, T. M. (2010). In R. A. Beghetto & J. C. Kaufman (Eds.), Nurturing Creativity in the Classroom (pp. 34-74). Cambridge University Press.
Comprehensive review of research on how intrinsic motivation enhances creative performance, with implications for fostering creativity in various settings.
Amabile, T. M., Hill, K. G., Hennessey, B. A., & Tighe, E. M. (1994). Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 66(5), 950-967.
Development and validation of measures for intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, providing tools for understanding motivational drivers of creativity.
Runco, M. A. (1991). Creativity Research Journal, 4(1), 1-10.
Foundational paper on divergent thinking—the ability to generate multiple solutions—as a core cognitive process underlying creative production.
Runco, M. A., & Chand, I. (1995). Creativity Research Journal, 8(1), 61-72.
Research on problem finding—the crucial creative skill of identifying meaningful problems to solve—supporting the Problem Finding dimension of UBCreative2.
Google Scholar is a free academic search engine that indexes peer-reviewed papers, theses, books, and conference proceedings from universities and research institutions worldwide.
Unlike regular Google, Scholar focuses exclusively on academic and scholarly sources—the original research that books like those above are based on.
Use Google Scholar when you want to:
Note: Some papers require institutional access or purchase, but many are freely available as PDFs.
Transform creativity research into daily inspiration with UBCreative2's 28 modules and 2,800+ curated quotes.