Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 9, 2026
08:17
Reducing State Anxiety Using Working Memory Maintenance
Published on: July 19, 2017
8.1K
The relationship between anxiety and creativity: evidence based on a daily diary study
Yan Zhou1, Tianqi Zhang2, Minyue Hong3
1College of Education, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua, China.
Acta Psychologica
|December 6, 2025
Summary
Student anxiety negatively impacts creativity, with notable gender differences observed. This research explores how anxiety affects creativity in high school students, offering insights for educational strategies.
Area of Science:
- Educational Psychology
- Developmental Psychology
Background:
- Creativity is crucial for students navigating real-life pressures.
- Student anxiety is frequently linked to diminished creative potential.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze gender differences in student creativity.
- To investigate the impact of anxiety on creativity among students.
Main Methods:
- A multilevel regression model was utilized.
- Daily creativity and anxiety inventories were administered to 248 high school students over seven days.
- Data analysis was performed using SPSS 26.0 and Mplus 8.3.
Main Results:
- A significant difference in creativity levels was found between male and female students.
- Anxiety was identified as a negative predictor of creativity for all students, irrespective of gender.
Conclusions:
- Gender plays a role in creativity levels among students.
- Anxiety significantly hinders student creativity, suggesting a need for anxiety management interventions to foster creative development.
Related Concept Videos
01:18Anxiety: Overview
865
Anxiety is a common mental disorder featuring excessive worry, fear, and apprehension, significantly affecting daily life. People with anxiety disorders experience persistent and intense anxiety, interrupting their everyday functioning.
Individuals with anxiety often experience a range of physical and emotional symptoms, including sweating, trembling, tachycardia, and disturbances in sleep patterns. These symptoms vary in intensity and frequency but are generally disruptive and distressing.
Individuals with anxiety often experience a range of physical and emotional symptoms, including sweating, trembling, tachycardia, and disturbances in sleep patterns. These symptoms vary in intensity and frequency but are generally disruptive and distressing.
865
03:34Theory of Romantic Attachment in Adulthood
48.6K
Attachment is a long-standing connection or bond with others. While Attachment Theory was conceived in developmental psychology to describe infant-caregiver bonding, it's been extended into adulthood to include romantic relationships.
48.6K
01:29The Influence of Affect on Cognition
248
Positive affect significantly influences cognitive processes, including evaluation, memory, creativity, and social judgments. Compared to negative affect, positive emotional states promote more favorable interpretations of stimuli, cognitive flexibility, and heuristic processing. These effects highlight emotions' powerful role in shaping how individuals perceive, remember, and interact with the world.Influence on Evaluation and AttributionWhen individuals experience positive affect, they are...
248
01:30Generalized Anxiety Disorder
610
Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is a chronic condition characterized by excessive and uncontrollable worry that persists for at least six months, significantly interfering with daily functioning. Unlike situational anxiety, which arises in response to specific stressors, GAD often occurs without a clear cause. Individuals may experience disproportionate worry about work, health, or relationships. For instance, a person might continuously fear poor health despite normal medical evaluations or...
610
01:28Social Anxiety Disorder
414
Social anxiety disorder, also known as social phobia, is characterized by an intense fear of social situations where one might face humiliation, rejection, embarrassment, or negative evaluation. This disorder leads individuals to avoid activities like casual conversations, public speaking, or seemingly simple tasks such as eating, signing documents, or swimming, in public settings. Its impact extends beyond discomfort, often significantly interfering with daily functioning and quality of life.
414
01:29Self-Discrepancy and Its Effects
266
Self-discrepancy theory explains how people compare their actual self to their ideal and ought selves and how mismatches between these self-guides can lead to emotional distress. Developed by E. Tory Higgins, the theory distinguishes among three components of self-concept: the actual self, the ideal self, and the ought self. These refer respectively to how individuals perceive themselves, how they aspire to be, and how they believe they are obligated to be. Emotional well-being, self-esteem,...
266