PSY30008 - Personality and Creativity: A Research Report

This research report investigates the intricate relationship between personality and creativity, focusing on Australian psychology students. The study explores the influence of the Big Five personality traits, specifically the Huge Two meta-traits of stability and plasticity, on creative self-concept and performance in divergent and convergent thinking tasks. It also examines the impact of self-control depletion on creative performance. The methodology includes personality assessments using the IPIP-NEO, measurement of creative self-concept, and the use of the Simon Task to induce self-control depletion. Creativity was assessed using the Guilford Alternate Uses Task. The results indicate a weak positive correlation between both stability and plasticity with creative self-concept. The study also found that self-control depletion did not significantly affect performance on creativity tasks. The research contributes to understanding the complex interplay between personality, cognitive abilities, and creative behavior, and the findings of this study are discussed with reference to the existing body of literature.

Huge Two Meta traits – Reconnoitring the Relationship with
Creative Self-Concept and Performance on Creativity Tasks
Word count: 2860 words

Abstract
The objective of the scholar was to investigate the inextricable link between personality
and creativity. The author has assessed the role of stability and plasticity in taking on creativity.
The purpose of this task is to investigate the inextricable link between creativity and personality.
The Australian bachelor students (N = 57) in the third year batch form Psychology department
formed the sample of the study. The inter-relationship between creative self-perception and
stability was weak. The association had a correlation coefficient which reflected a weak linear
relationship (r = 0.29, p < 0.05) (Francis, 2013). Huge Plasticity was also considered to have a
weak linear connection with creative self-concept (r = 0.28, p < 0.05). Self-Control depletion
task was not able to have a differentiating significant effect (t =-0.23, p = 0.82) between the
experimental group's creative tasks requiring divergent as well as convergent cognitive abilities
and that of the control group. Huge meta-analysis scores and self-control depletion task failed to
estimate the performance of creative tasks.
Keywords: Stability, Plasticity, Self-Perception, Self-Control depletion, Huge Meta-Analysis,
Creative Tasks
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Table of Contents
Abstract............................................................................................................................................2
Introduction......................................................................................................................................4
Methodology....................................................................................................................................7
Participants...................................................................................................................................7
Measures......................................................................................................................................7
Demographic variability...........................................................................................................7
Personality Traits......................................................................................................................8
The Creative Self-Concept.......................................................................................................8
Experimental task and Depletion of Self-Control........................................................................9
Tasks on Creativity......................................................................................................................9
Procedure...................................................................................................................................10
Results............................................................................................................................................11
Discussion......................................................................................................................................15
Limitations.....................................................................................................................................17
Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................18
References......................................................................................................................................19
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Introduction
Creative people possess unique attributes and mindsets that are rare to be found in non-
creative people. The scientific study on creativity delves into the study of the study of various
aspects of personality. The personality framework espoused in the Big Five model has delved
into the evaluation of this intricate subject. Among the five factors, the exposure to experiences
plays a monumental role in the stimulation of creativity in an individual. This factor envisages
creativity in various genres of activities such as arts, humanities, science and significant skills
like objectives, achievements, hobbies and thinking pattern that are embedded in creativity. On
the other hand, the rest four elements envision creativity in a poor consistency. However, few
domains seem to be negative like mind consciousness or appear to be positive such as
extroversion and sociability (Batey & Furnham, 2006).
It has been evidenced by various researches that big five model is not the highest form of
theory in the field of personality study. These five elements can be accommodated under the two
significant meta-traits (Silvia et al., 2008). The facet of stability comprising agreeability,
sentimental steadiness and emotional vigilance exhibit the tendency to secure stability and avert
impediments in the social, emotional and motivational arenas. However, the element of plasticity
constituting the exposure to experiences and extroversion resonate with the tendencies of
exploration and engagement in both cognitive and behavioral terms (De Young, 2006).
The huge two factors comprising the meta-traits estimate the results pertaining to the
control and impulsive nature and behavioral variations. For an instance, people rich in plasticity
have enhanced extrovert behavior pattern, greater divergence in thinking (Silvia et al., 2008) and
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score negligible in conventional compliances. The contrasting picture is provided by people with
greater stability with higher conformity capability, meager externalizing behavior pattern and
meager divergent thinking (De Young, Peterson, Séguin, & Tremblay, 2008).
It is imperative to find out the ways in which stability and plasticity interface. The
research results found by Feist’s (1998) Meta-analysis underlines that people that are creative
possess greater levels of plasticity attributes, while the stability qualities are rare to be found in
them. However, an amalgamation of stability and plasticity can create various types and patterns
of creativity.
The interaction between the latent variables is often overlooked by the researchers since
methods and software makes it difficult to achieve the interfaces. Nonetheless, the latent
predictors can still be made to interact and with the use of a finite mixture of latent variable
model and maximum likelihood estimations. This approach is useful in deriving of an estimate of
interface impact.
The research results surfacing over the years have insinuated that personality attributes
are squarely related to the factor of creativity (Jonason, Richardson, & Potter, 2015; Silvia,
Kaufman, Reiter-Palmon, & Wigert, 2011). It has been observed across diverse cultures that
understanding and acceptance of experiences have resulted in creative growth in those cultures
(Furnham, Zhang, & Chamorro-Premuzic, 2005). Therefore, accessibility to experiences trait is
considered as the most imperative trait that invokes creativity in an individual. On the other
hand, the evidence regarding the relationships between the rest of the traits for an instance,
conscientiousness and extraversion are inconsistent in nature.
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The purpose of this assignment is to investigate the inextricable link between creativity
and personality. Creativity has been defined on the basis of individual's introspection in own
creativity level (Karwowski et al., 2016) and further their behavioral creativity in activities
necessitating divergent and convergent cognitive senses (Cropley, 2006). Personality has been
analyzed through the lenses of the big five-factor model of personality and further in term of
huge two factors (Karwowski & Lebuda, 2016).
The author has evaluated the contribution of big five in the prediction of creativity and
also analyzed the role of stability and plasticity in assuming creativity. Furthermore, the scholar
has examined the relation interface between the stability and plasticity. Creative people are often
characterized as having lack of self-control, though there is meager research to support this. The
concept of self-control has been observed as a capability to control thoughts, sentiments, and
behavior in the context of impulsiveness and temptations. According to Baumeister & Vohs
(2007), self-control can be diminished or reinvigorated depending on the situational and demand
factors encountered by the individual.
The present article studies that have dealt in the interconnection between perceptions on
creativity induced by own self and the differential constructs of personality and cognitive ability.
The author has defined the imperative constructs within the investigation. It deals in providing
paraphernalia that classifies self-perceptions. Next section explains important theories for
comprehending the studies. While scholar also discusses the significant trends from the study,
scholar intricate and layered findings are discussed. In the next section, deductions are provided
by the scholars provide descriptive model formulated on the basis of the review. The scholar
further believes that the review has the potential to guide future research work. The following
hypotheses are framed to address the research questions in the present article.
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The first hypothesis was based on the assumption that The Huge Two meta-traits of
personality, Stability, and Plasticity are positively associated with creative self-concept.
Secondly, it is hypothesized that creativity tasks requiring (a) convergent cognitive abilities and
negatively correlated with (b) divergent cognitive abilities are significantly and positively
correlated performance on Huge Two meta-traits of personality, Stability, and Plasticity. Lastly,
self-control depletion is hypothesized to affect significantly and positively the performance on
creativity tasks, which required (a) convergent cognitive abilities and (b) divergent cognitive
abilities.
Methodology
Participants
The Australian undergraduates of third-year batch form psychology department formed
the sample of the study. They have been studying at Swinburne University, in Southern
Australia.
Measures
Demographic variability
A total number of fifty-seven undergraduate students participated in the study. The total
of average age was found to be 24.35 (SD=6.75), wherein the average age of male was 20.58
(SD=6.57), while the average age of females is found to be 24.20 (SD=6.85). The participants
had to complete the scales of self-report. It was assured that their anonymity and secrecy of their
information would be maintained.
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Table 1: Means of the age of the participants for self-control depletion groups
Group Sex t p
Male (n=11) Female (n=46)
M SD M SD
Experimental 26.7 9.9 24.4 7 -0.51 0.61
Control 24.4 5.7 23.95 6.8 -0.15 0.88
N = 57
Personality Traits
The IPIP-NEO was chosen to assess the meta-characterization of plasticity and stability
(Maples, Guan, Carter, and Miller, 2014). Participants were asked to assess the accuracy of the
individual statements on a scale ranging from 1 (almost inaccurate) to 5 (very accurate). The
results of experiential openness and the parameters of open elements were combined with the
general plasticity, and also the conscientiousness, agreeableness, and neuroticism were combined
with plasticity together, for a general assessment of stability.
The Creative Self-Concept
The scale to measure creative self (Karwowski, 2012) consisted of eleven statements rated
by the participants on the accuracy of self-concept. The scores earned on individual elements
have been averaged for forming a creative self-concept score that ranged from 1-5 and the
greater score implying higher in self-concept creativity.
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Experimental task and Depletion of Self-Control
Upon experimenting, self-control was depleted with using the Simon Task in the digital
version (Proctor, 2011). Blue or red colored Square surfaced on the right or left slide screen.
Display of blue light required the participants to press left shift key and the red light display
required pressing of the right one. The appearance of the blue square on the left was congruent;
while the red appeared on the left it was incongruent. With the use of the Simon task's two
versions low and high self-control depletion condition was created. One comprising 10%
incongruent trials (negligible self-control depletion) and another with 50% congruent trail
(greater self-control in depletion).
In the experiment, using the functionality of Simon in the digital version of compromised
self-restraint (Proctor, 2011). Blue or red full-color square with the right or left presence in the
screen, showing the blue light required by the participant to press the left shift button and
pressing the right shift button for the display of red light. The blue square on the left has the
same in appearance; although red appears on the left, it was not congruent. Using the Simon
Task, two depletion versions of low and high self-control textures were created. First contained
10% incongruent research and another 50% congruent key (more Self-control exhaustion).
Tasks on Creativity
Guilford’ Alternate use task (Batey, & Furnham, 2006)., the divergent task necessitated
the participants to present several usages in three minutes for the objects such as “a brick”, “a
shoe”, and “a newspaper”. The scoring on the responses was dependent on how intelligent,
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remote and unconventional the responses were. Responses were to be measured on a scale of 1 to
5.
During members ' remote studies, participants in the mind had to observe three words that
had few associations and ideas for the fourth word, compared to the three words. Assigned 3
minutes to answer 30 questions was used by the participants, and each correct answer was issued
with a flag.
Procedure
The creativity and Simon tasks were conducted in Inquisit program and took almost 45
minutes to be completed. The questionnaire on the parameters of self-concept creativity and
personality was completed using the Qualtrics. The scores achieved on Simon Task, self-report
measures and creativity tasks were connected through the medium of code number allotted to
every participant on a random basis and at the beginning of the Simon task.
Prior to the conducting of the study, the participants were given the liberty to withdraw
from the study if they wished to at any moment. At the end of the study, statements were made
that promulgated the aims entailed in the study.
Self-concept creativity and activity on convergent and divergent tasks were the dependent
variables. Whereas, personality variability, depletion of self-control, gender and age were the
independent variables.
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Results
This paper examines the relationship between the stability of Huge, plasticity and
creative self-image, and makes two types of correlation analysis. As shown in table 2, there was
a significant positive correlation between stability and creative self-determination. Parallel
consideration established a positive and significant correlation with Huge plasticity and creative
self-esteem. The relationship between stability and creative self-perception is weaker because it
has a correlation coefficient in weak linear relationships values (r = 0.29, p < 0.05) (Francis,
2013). Huge plasticity was also found to have a linear relationship with creative self-concept (r
= 0.28, p < 0.05), where the relationship was weak in nature. Hence, the first set of alternate
hypotheses was accepted at 5% level of significance, rejecting the null hypotheses. Hence, it was
clear that the Huge Two meta-analysis scores were significantly correlated with creative self-
concept, which was positive in direction.
Table 2: Correlation Matrix with Descriptive Values for Huge Two Scores and Creative Self-
Concept
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The correlations for the performance on creativity tasks requiring divergent as well as
convergent cognitive abilities, with Huge scores have been found. Firstly, Huge computed
Stability (the independent variable) was positively correlated with creativity tasks requiring
divergent cognitive abilities (the dependent variable). Secondly, Stability was negatively
correlated with creativity tasks requiring convergent cognitive abilities (the dependent variable).
Thirdly, Huge computed Plasticity (the independent variable) was positively correlated with
creativity tasks requiring divergent cognitive abilities. The fourth correlation reflected that
Plasticity was negatively correlated with creativity tasks requiring convergent cognitive abilities.
It was an interesting and astonishing fact that none of the correlations were statistically
significant. The only significant and positive correlation (r = 0.28, p < 0.05) was found between
Huge Two Meta scores (Stability and Plasticity). Hence, the second set of hypotheses was not
found to be statistically significant. Hence, the null hypotheses, assuming no significant
correlation between the creativity tasks requiring convergent and divergent cognitive abilities
and Huge Two Meta scores, failed to get rejected at 5% level of significance.
Table 3: Correlation Matrix with Descriptive Values for Huge Two Scores and performance on
creativity tasks
Variables Stability Plasticity RAT AUT
Stability 1 - - -
Plasticity .285* 1 - -
RAT -.136 -.125 1 -
AUT .053 .066 .232 1
M 249.75 167.61 0.12 1.82
SD 25.93 18.77 0.09 0.34
Note: N = 57 & *. Significant Correlation at the 0.05 level (2-tailed)
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