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Creativity is linked to ambition across the bipolar spectrum
Sheri L Johnson1, Greg Murray2, Sharon Hou3
1Department of Psychology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA.
Journal of Affective Disorders
|April 4, 2015
Summary
Ambition is linked to creativity in individuals with bipolar spectrum conditions. Higher ambition and mania risk correlated with increased creativity, suggesting ambition may drive creative success.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Psychology
- Neuroscience
Background:
- The relationship between creativity and bipolar spectrum conditions is not fully understood.
- Ambition, elevated in bipolar disorder (BD), is theorized to link BD and creativity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between ambition and creativity in individuals with bipolar spectrum conditions.
- To evaluate if ambition is a key variable connecting bipolar conditions and creativity.
Main Methods:
- Two studies examined correlations between ambition (WASSUP) and creativity.
- Study One: 22 individuals with BD and high creativity assessed ambition and creative accomplishment.
- Study Two: 221 undergraduates assessed ambition, mania risk (HPS), and business creativity.
Main Results:
- Individuals with BD showed elevated ambition compared to norms.
- Ambition correlated with creative accomplishment in the BD artistic sample.
- Mania risk and ambition were directly associated with greater creativity in undergraduates.
Conclusions:
- Ambition may be a significant factor in creative achievement across the bipolar spectrum.
- Self-reported ambition was a limitation in both studies.
- Further research is needed to explore this link.
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