%0 Journal Article
%T Exploring the Role of Art-Making in Recovery, Change, and Self-Understanding---An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of Interviews with Everyday Creative People
%A Anjelique Gavrielle Konstancia Stevenson-Taylor
%A Warren Mansell
%J International Journal of Psychological Studies
%D 2012
%I 
%R 10.5539/ijps.v4n3p104
%X Most creativity theorists consider artists as ¡°agents of control¡±, capable of overcoming and controlling psychological distress. However, studies have yet to map the ¡°healing¡± tendency for ¡°everyday creative people¡± in detailing the process¡¯ effects on perception and change. This study was aimed to examine this process via a phenomenological and Perceptual Control Theory perspective (PCT: see Powers, W. T. (1973). Behaviour: The control of perception. Chicago: Aldine). We recruited and interviewed eleven participants who had engaged in art-making and experienced recovery from psychological distress. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis was used to identify themes between participant responses, generated from self-created semi-structured interview schedules following Smith and Osborn¡¯s technique (IPA: see Smith, J. A., & Osborn, M. (2008). Interpretative phenomenological analysis. In J. A. Smith (Ed.), Qualitative psychology: A practical guide to research methods, 2nd edition, (53-80). London: Sage). Data analysis identified six superordinate themes: 1) ¡°the process of creating as a goal-oriented focus¡±, 2) ¡°internalising process and product¡±, 3) ¡°awareness shift and self-focus¡±, 4) ¡°emotion regulation¡±, 5) ¡°goal change, bonding, and conflict resolution¡±, and 6) ¡°feelings and perceptions within the art-making process¡±. Disconfirming Case Analysis and participant feedback also indicated a seventh theme: 7) ¡°the ¡®superficial¡¯ creative process¡±. The results were interpreted to indicate that art-making involves the purposeful creation of perceptual experience to fulfil higher-order goals and values. The creative process is also a learning process which instigates and promotes positive affect, enhances skills, and facilitates change in higher-order goals. We consider these interpretations in the light of the components of PCT.
%U http://www.ccsenet.org/journal/index.php/ijps/article/view/19236