Psychology of innovation: classical perspectives.

classical thought raises prospects for the development of innovative theoretical and clinical approaches to psychology (as with, for instance, the recent development of ‘positive psychology’, Snyder & Lopez 2001).
Background: Classical Greece is well known for its far-reaching innovations in diverse areas of thought, notably in the fields of mathematics, medicine, philosophy and literature. The ancient Greeks famously developed a culture of innovation which stimulated creative change and
competitive intellectual endeavour. Ancient thinkers from Heraclitus to Aristotle proposed, articulated, and debated theories, principles, and mechanisms of innovation that remain valid today.
Key Points: Recent research into ancient responses to novelty, particularly into ideas and experiences of innovation in 5th century BCE Athens (the preeminent centre of ancient innovation) has shown how paradigms of change
and creativity developed in Greek antiquity underlie and can be productively used to inform modern psychological models of innovation. These range from models of personality and
mental growth that underlie psycho dynamic and developmental psychology (e.g. Freud, Piaget), to constructionist and rhetorical notions such as those adopted by social psychologists (e.g. Berger & Luckman, Billig), to analyses of creativity and models of adaptation-innovation employed in cognitive and organisational psychology (e.g Csikszentmihalyi, Kirton).
Conclusion: The conclusion is not that ‘there is nothing new under the sun’, but that the profoundly innovative nature of the classical tradition of Western thought makes it an
inexhaustible and inescapable source for innovation – not least for the psychology of innovation.

The 2004 Annual Conference,
Imperial College London, 15–17 April 2004.