Product Inventors and Creativity: The Finer Dimensions of Enjoyment

Abstract

Four product inventors and 2 control participants were interviewed intensively about their creative process and given a series of personality assessments. The inventors expressed a profound level of emotional experience as part of their creative process. Though many emotions were mentioned, the inventors spoke repeatedly and consistently about their enjoyment of innovation work. Personality assessments indicated, however, that personality alone could not explain this high level of career happiness. The inventor discussions of their emotional experience were analyzed using the Russ (1993, 1999) model of affect and creativity. Every dimension of the Russ model was found evident in the inventors' innovation experiences. The inventor discussions encouraged an elaboration and expansion of the model. One category, cognitive integration and modulation of affect, was expanded to include the role of intuition. Four new categories were added: affective pleasure in technical perspective-taking, in focus, in creating, and in self-expression. The resulting expanded model of affect and creativity offers myriad opportunities for future researchers interested in scale development and in qualitative inquiry with other creative professions. Educators, counselors, and managers seeking to understand how to best foster innovation and career happiness may also benefit.