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Creative thinking and academic performance across cultures: Multilevel analyses based on PISA 2022
Yueling Wei1, Wang Zheng2, Yinqiu Zhao2
1School of Education, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China.
The British Journal of Educational Psychology
|November 13, 2025
Summary
Creative thinking boosts academic performance globally. However, cultural values like individualism and flexibility influence its impact on reading, math, and science achievement in adolescents.
Area of Science:
- Educational Psychology
- Cross-Cultural Studies
- Adolescent Development
Background:
- Creative thinking is linked to academic success, but this connection needs validation across diverse cultures.
- Previous research has not systematically confirmed the link between creativity and academic performance in varied societal contexts.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between creative thinking and academic performance in adolescents.
- To examine how cultural dimensions (individualism-collectivism, flexibility-monumentalism) moderate this relationship.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA 2022).
- Conducted multilevel analyses on responses from 376,130 adolescents across 48 countries/regions.
Main Results:
- A significant positive global relationship was found between creative thinking and academic performance.
- Cultural values moderated this association: stronger benefits in individualistic societies (reading, math, science) and flexible societies (math only).
Conclusions:
- Creative thinking positively impacts adolescent academic performance worldwide.
- Sociocultural context, including individualism and flexibility, significantly moderates the academic benefits of creative thinking.
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