CREATIVE · Creativity Across Cultures

Creativity Across Cultures

The Project “Creativity Across Cultures – CREATIVE” directly addressed European initiatives to promote creativity research and aimed at an elaborate investigation of patterns of creativity in the context of different cultures. The central question was: How does culture influence creativity? Therefore, three innovative studies were carried out. Study 1 was conducted in 5 countries (Germany, Guatemala, India, South Africa, United States) with a sample of almost 1,000 university students. Every participant received several creativity tests and responded to surveys assessing cultural values and demographics. Results showed first, that cultures differ in their creativity scores; second, that the laboratory creativity tests did not predict creative life achievement in any of the five countries; third, that some cultural values are positively related to creativity and some (e.g., uncertainty avoidance) are negatively related to creativity according to structural equation modeling; fourth, that cultural values influence creativity differently in different cultures. What fosters creativity in one country can hinder creativity in another country. All too often creativity has been studied in simple problems. Study 2 addressed cultural differences in analogical creative reasoning in the complex and dynamic simulated problem situation MORO. Participants took the role of developmental aid assistants who attempted to improve the living conditions of the MOROs, i.e., a tribe of semi-nomads. First results showed that different stories presented before working on MORO triggered different strategic decision making. Specifically, participants primed with a “dynamic” compared to a “linear” story followed a more balanced approach regarding decision making, reflection, and information collection. Study 3 addressed the need to investigate the complex creative process in real life across cultures. 30 well-known artists (from the domains of visual arts, literature, and music) from Cuba, Germany, and Russia were interviewed on how they go about creating work, many of those residing on fellowships in the International House of Artists Villa Concordia in Bamberg. This is a very high number of participants for an in depth qualitative research. The interviews highlight some similarities in the main domains mentioned (how they became artists, what being an artist means to them, creating as a cognitive process, creating as an emotional process, creating as a motivational process, what facilitates creativity, what hinders creativity, the role of culture in creating), but they also show differences in the frequency of subdomains mentioned (e.g., financial concerns and marketing of own work was mentioned by almost all German artists and almost not at all in Cuban artists, and only a few times by Russian artists). Several conclusions can be drawn from these results. First, a multi-method approach involving the use of standard instruments in the laboratory and interviews in the field is beneficial as it provides a nuanced picture of creativity and culture. Second, there are culture-specific nuances how creativity can be fostered and what hinders creativity. Third, and most importantly, results show the strong relationship between culture and creativity. These findings could have potential impact, for example in the business world and the world of education. It is crucial for multinational companies to create an environment that allows employees develop and show their creative potential. For education, it is a challenge, but a necessity to stimulate children, adolescents, and adults to sometimes think unconventionally. Creativity occurs in a cultural environment and needs a specific cultural setting to be cultivated, stimulated, and expressed. Although the socio-economic impact of the project cannot be expressed in specific numbers, it is obvious that creative inventions and thoughts in, for example, arts, business, and politics, drive the development of societies in Europe and elsewhere. Creativity research has shown that talent is only one factor contributing to creative achievement and that the social and cultural environment are equally as important factors. Thus, policy makers could create structures which would stimulate the flourishing of creativity. Project Website in German and English language (only active until September 2014): http://www.uni-bamberg.de/en/trac/associated-research-projects/creativity-across-cultures/ Contact details: From August 2013-July 2014: Prof. Christoph-Dominik Güss An der Weberei 5 (ERBA-Gelände) Raum 04.101 Universität Bamberg 96047 Bamberg Tel: 0951-863-3505 Email: dominik.guess@uni-bamberg.de Since August 2014: Office: Prof. C. Dominik Guess Department of Psychology University of North Florida UNF 1 UNF Drive Jacksonville, FL 32224-2673 United States Phone: (904) 620-1634 Fax: (904) 620-3814 E-mail: dguess@unf.edu Home: C. Dominik Guess 1737 Hidden Forest Lane Jacksonville, FL 32225 United States Phone: (904) 232-4420 Email: domgues@yahoo.com

Data: CORDIS, © European Union