本研究以「變異－選擇－保存」的演化觀點為基礎，將發明歷程視為一種創造性的問題解決歷程，並結合文獻推測六項有利於發明的變項：內在動機、問題發現、多元主義、內化判準、辯證思考及環境機會，然後發展六個量表以比較臺灣地區發明家與高職教師之間的差異。發明家樣本為1994-1998年在國內與國際各項發明展的得獎者共143位，對照組樣本主要為高職工科教師共149位。研究結果發現：發明家組雖然在學校教育的受教年限方面顯著低於對照組，但在「內在動機」、「問題發現」、「內化判準」、「辯證思考」與「環境機會」五個量表上的得分都顯著高於對照組。整體結果，大致上與演化觀點的預測相符合，並透露了培育發明家的一些重要條件。

In the current study, technological invention is regarded as creative problem-solving process as well as evolutionary process. Based on this variation-selection-and-retention model of evolution, it was predicted that the following six variables are critical for technological invention: internal motivation, problem finding, pluralism, internalized criteria, dialectic thinking, and environmental opportunities. By these six variables, a sample of technological inventors was contrasted with a sample of teachers from vocational high schools. A total of 143 inventors who won famous national and international awards of invention composed the first group, while a total of 149 vocational high school teachers with engineering background composed the second group. The first group was found to gain significantly higher scores on the scales of internal motivation, problem finding, internalized criteria, dialectic thinking, and environmental opportunities than the second group did. In conclusion, most predictions based on the theory of evolution about technological invention were confirmed. A few implications for educational practice and future studies were derived accordingly.