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Linking Self-Construal to Creativity: The Role of Approach Motivation and Cognitive Flexibility
Yan Shao1, Bernard A Nijstad1, Susanne Täuber1
1Department of Human Resource Management and Organizational Behavior, Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands.
Frontiers in Psychology
|October 27, 2018
Summary
Independent self-construal boosts creativity by fostering approach motivation and cognitive flexibility. This research clarifies the psychological mechanisms linking self-perception to creative thinking and idea generation.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Cognitive Science
- Social Psychology
Background:
- Self-construal, how individuals define themselves in relation to others, is linked to creativity.
- The precise mechanisms driving this relationship remain underexplored.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the motivational and cognitive pathways through which self-construal influences creativity.
- To test a three-stage mediation model integrating self-construal, approach motivation, and cognitive flexibility.
Main Methods:
- Two studies were conducted with Dutch student samples (N=231 and N=146).
- Methods included manipulated and measured self-construal, and measured approach-avoidance motivation, cognitive flexibility, and creativity.
Main Results:
- Findings supported the proposed three-stage mediation model.
- Approach motivation and cognitive flexibility were identified as key mediators linking independent self-construal to enhanced creativity.
Conclusions:
- Independent self-construal enhances creativity via increased approach motivation and cognitive flexibility.
- The study elucidates the psychological mechanisms underlying the self-construal-creativity link.
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