A Cultural Model of Creative and Conforming Behavior

Abstract

This study investigated the cultural influences on creative and conforming behavior. Three sets of hypotheses were developed. First, it was predicted that there was a negative association between creative and conforming behavior (Hypothesis 1). Second, it was predicted that cultural individualism-collectivism had a positive impact on independent self-construal (Hypothesis 2A) and a negative impact on interdependent self-construal (Hypothesis 2B). Third, it was predicted that independent self-construal had a positive impact on creative behavior (Hypothesis 3A) and a negative impact on conforming behavior (Hypothesis 3B) and that interdependent self-construal had a negative impact on creative behavior (Hypothesis 3C) and a positive impact on conforming behavior (Hypothesis 3D). These hypotheses were embedded in a theoretical model of behavior with cultural individualism/collectivism as the antecedent variable, independent and interdependent self-construals as the mediating variables, and creative and conforming behaviors as the outcome variables. To test this theoretical model of behavior, 158 White undergraduates from Australia (who represented individualistic members) and 186 Chinese undergraduates from Singapore (who represented collectivistic members) responded to a survey containing relevant scales to measure the constructs in this study. SEM results provided support for this theoretical model of behavior, as well as for the various hypothesized relationships embedded within it. On the basis of these significant findings, the need to consider the cultural context when promoting individual creativity was highlighted.