Optimal Learning Patterns for Creativity Generation in a Field

I present a model of optimal learning for creativity generation in a field. Individuals decide what to learn in order to maximize the expected value of their creative contribution. The field is structured as a partially ordered set that defines concept hierarchies and relationships among elements. A creative contribution is based on combining two previously unrelated elements, generating a new element. Individuals contribute the maximum creative contribution they are able to produce based on the set of elements they have learned. In turn, their contribution becomes a new element in the field. When individuals have intuition, or private information, about likely productive new combinations, it leads to equilibria in which different people choose to learn different elements, with some degree of overlap, effectively pursuing distinct creative interests. The results highlight the role of individuals freely pursuing independent paths of learning and exploration. The model illustrates a general approach for describing and analyzing the creative development of fields and, in a broader sense, cultural innovation