If this model has been criticized for maintaining that artists work largely within a social vacuum, in the context of this perspective, there also is little room for examining questions of comparative situations of innovation more broadly. The field of psychology which also has shown longstanding interest in artistic innovation has tended to make its primary subject the individual as well. Recent exemplars to the contrary, internal crises and medical condititions such as manic-depressive di sorders, do not on their own produce path forging artists, even though they may make bring to gifted individuals occasions for critical rethinking. It is also not clear to what extent related problems follow rather than preceed a given artist's endeavors. Psycho-biological models have much the same problem in so far as they may suggest that artistic talent or giftedness are readily passed down within a culture.
Associated data run counter to both art historical and cultural exemplars.
And, say in 19th century Italy, we would expect that many of the great grandsons and daughters o f key Renaissance artists would have gained similar fame. Initially when I began working on this project I saw crisis as the most important factor in the promotion of artistic change, with issues such as internal and external war, religious proscletization movements, trade route changes, and technological shifts being of critical importance. Artistic innovation in this light might be seen to share important complements with theories of chaos and disorder. Creative individuals seem to be able not only to adjust to new socio-cultural forms but also to take advantage of the associated conditions of flux to bring into being dynamic new artistic models. That crisis plays such a critical role in artistic innovation also has been examined in several provocative studies on fashion.