Intergroup Competition, Group Members' Narcissism, and Competitive Perceptions as Determinants of Group Creativity

Area of Science:

• Social Psychology
• Organizational Behavior
• Creativity Research

Background:

• Existing research presents mixed findings on intergroup competition's impact on group creativity.
• There's a need for models incorporating individual differences in response to competitive cues.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate narcissism, competitive perceptions, and discussion-facilitating behaviors as antecedents of group creativity.
• To examine how intergroup competition interacts with individual traits to influence group creative processes.

Main Methods:

• 92 three-person groups (N=276) were assigned to low, medium, or high intergroup competition conditions.
• Participants developed a creative action plan, and their narcissism, competitive perceptions, and behaviors were measured.

Main Results:

• A curvilinear effect of narcissism on competitive perceptions was observed, indicating heightened sensitivity in narcissistic individuals.
• Narcissism strengthened the positive link between competitive perceptions and discussion-facilitating behavior.
• Discussion-facilitating behavior positively influenced group creativity via idea elaboration.

Conclusions:

• Narcissism can amplify the positive effects of intergroup competition on group creativity.
• Individual differences, particularly narcissism, play a crucial role in mediating the relationship between competition and creative performance.
• Findings highlight the complex interplay between personality, competition, and group creativity.