  This paper takes a two-pronged approach to investigate the phenomenon of
cross-domain influence on creativity. We present a study in which creative
individuals were asked to list influences on their creative work. More than
half the listed influences were unrelated to their creative domain, thus
demonstrating empirically that cross-domain influence is widespread. We then
present a preliminary model of exaptation, a form of cross-domain influence on
creativity in which a different context suggests a new use for an existing
item, using an example from the study.
