The problems of creative thinking in the works by Lajos Szekely

The article analyzes views on creativity and creative thinking of the famous psychologist and psychoanalyst Lajosh Sekey (1906-1995). The key milestones of the biography of this extraordinary scientist are traced. It is shown that he began its research career as a representative of the school of Gestalt psychology the fundamental ideas of which he decidedly supported. The comparative analyses of Lajosh Sekey´s works published over different periods makes the evolution of his views evident. The author investigates Sekey´s studies on creative thinking during a creative pause which are separated by almost thirty years interval (1940 and 1968). The comparative analysis states the changes in Sekeyґs position. It is particularly important to note organic combination of ideas of Gestalt psychology both with psychoanalysis and ideas of Piaget and J. Bruner. Sekey was successful in developing a special method. It consists of the use of the traditional psychoanalytic procedures for the sake of the investigation of creative thinking and of the solving of problems that have live importance. It is worth stating that a creative pause as a separate stage of thinking never can be “simulated” in the laboratory setting. This is a stage that really differentiategenuine practical thinking from its artificial laboratory models. In our view the evolution of the Gestalt concepts of thinking follows the way of spontaneous integration. This means it demonstrates the tendency to use complex descriptions involving borrowing, close “interaction”, cooperation, and communication with other research approaches. This spontaneous integration makes a psychological conception go beyond the “framework” of the scientific school. This is inevitable because comprehension of the “psychological” given in all its entire and real complexity is ever in the conflict with the “narrow” theoretical settings. In our opinion, this is one of the ways of the development of psychological knowledge.