Modeling emotion-creativity interaction following brief training

Abstract

One form of meditation training, the integrative body-mind training (IBMT) has been shown to improve attention, reduce stress and change self-reports of mood [1]. Here, we examine whether short-term IBMT can improve performance related to creativity and determine the role that mood may play in such improvement using the cross-lagged models. Forty healthy Chinese undergraduates were randomly assigned to short-term IBMT group or a relaxation training (RT) control group. Mood and creativity performance were assessed by the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule [2] and Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking (TTCT) [3] respectively. ANOVAs revealed a group (IBMT vs. RT) × session (pre-training vs. post-training) interaction effect [F(1, 37) = 14.853; p < .01] and a session main effect [F(1, 37) = 36.156; p < .01] for TTCT. These results indicated that short-term (30 min per day for 7 days) IBMT improved creativity performance in the divergent thinking task than RT. The ANOVAs also revealed a group (IBMT vs. RT) × session (pre-training vs. post-training) interaction effect and a session main effect for positive affect (PA) and negative affect (NA) (all p < .01), indicating better emotional regulation than RT. In addition, the cross-lagged models [4] were used to explore the causal sequence between PA score and TTCT score (Figure ​(Figure1A)1A) and between NA score and TTCT score (Figure ​(Figure1B)1B) before and after IBMT training. The synchronous correlations (r PA-before × TTCT-before = .468, r PA-after × TTCT-after = .533; r NA-before × TTCT-before = -.499, r NA-after × TTCT-after = -.633) and the autocorrelations (r PA-before × PA-after = .823, r TTCT-before × TTCT-after = .591; r NA-before × NA-after = .705, r TTCT-before × TTCT-after = .591) were high in magnitude and statistically significant in the non-cross direction, which provides preliminary support for cross-lagged panel correlation. Figure 1 The causal sequence between PA score and TTCT score (A) and between NA score and TTCT score (B) before and after IBMT training. Ellipses indicate measured variables; Arrows depict hypothesized directional or “causal” links/associations; ... As predicted, PA had a positive cross-lagged impact on TTCT, which indicated a causal influence from positive mood changes to the creativity changes in IBMT group but not in RT group. In addition, NA had a negative cross-lagged impact on TTCT, which indicated a causal influence from negative mood changes to the creativity changes in the IBMT group but not in RT group.