Moderating Role of Emotional Intelligence: Exploring the Association between Personality Traits and Creativity in Young Adults

Abstract

The paper looked into the potential moderating role that emotional intelligence might play between personality traits and creativity in young adults. The following hypotheses were put forth: a) personality traits, emotional intelligence, and creativity would have a strong positive relationship; b) personality traits and emotional intelligence would predict creativity; and c) emotional intelligence would moderate the relationship between personality traits and creativity. Using a non-probability sampling, 200 young adults (n = 100 women and n = 100 men) aged 18 to 35 years (M = 23.85, SD = 3.74) were recruited for this cross-sectional correlational study. Findings indicated a significant positive connection among personality traits, emotional intelligence and creativity. Moreover, neuroticism and emotional intelligence were found to predict creativity significantly. Lastly, emotional intelligence moderated the relationship between personality traits (openness to experience and extraversion) and creativity. These indigenous findings would have significant implications for young adults, researchers, counsellors, and educational psychologists for awareness, policy-making and further research endeavours.