Implicit theories of creativity: Cross-cultural study

Abstract

In this work we analyzed laypersons' implicit theories of creativity in two different national cultures: Serbia (N=257) and the United States of America (N=255). Relying on previous works in this field, we have constructed a questionnaire comprised of 52 indicative and 36 contra-indicative personal characteristic which were rated by respondents on a 5-point scale on criteria of their creativity and desirability. Results show that both groups have similar conceptions of a creative person, which they see as an energetic, self-confident individual, gifted with creative talents and exceptional intellectual abilities, with profound emotionality and brightness. The main difference between the two groups is that respondents from Serbia, contrary to their American counterparts, do not perceive characteristics which reflect obedience to social norms as a contra-indication to creativity. Respondents have mostly seen creative attributes as desirable, although there is a number of characteristics that are rated differently in terms of their creativity and desirability. These results confirm that creativity and desirability are two distinct concepts and indicate positive view of creativity as a phenomenon and creative person as such.