Trait Curiosity And Creativity. Common Bases - Significant Differences

Abstract

The present article analyzes in three studies on undergraduates the relationship between trait curiosity (Curiosity and Exploration Inventory-II - CEI-II), and creativity conceived as: 1- divergent thinking (Unusual Usages Creative Thinking test – UNU), self-perceived creative capacity (Scale for the self-perceived creative capacity - SPCC) and 3, as creative self-concept (Short Scale for Creative Self- SSCS). In the first study (N = 91), there was no relationship between curiosity and divergent thinking. The explanation of the results is related to the different construction of measures and conceptual differences in defining creativity. In the second study (N = 110), between curiosity and self-perceived creative capacity, moderate correlations were obtained. In the third study (N = 203), relationships between curiosity, its components, stretching and embracing and creative self-concept and the parameters that make it, creative self-efficacy and creative personal identity have been obtained. In this latter study, confirmatory factor analysis shows the existence of significant correlations between these last two measured constructs. Latent factor of Creative self-efficacy (CSE) correlated with the exploration of new experiences (Stretching, r = .59) and with the acceptance of uncertainty (Embracing, r = .44), while Creative personal identity (CPI) correlated with Stretching (r = .45) and slightly less with Embracing (r = .37). The conclusions of the investigation indicate the existence of a common basis of curiosity and CSE and CPI. Starting from these results, we conclude on the future modalities to measure students potential in higher education.