Multivariate Approach to Creativity: Cognition and Personality

Abstract

Our study is founded on a multivariate approach to creativity. We analyze cognitive and personality variables in relationship to creative potential. The sample consists of 37 middle aged adults from the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg (20 women, 17 men, MAge = 41.03, SD = 7.23, age range: 29-55 years). Whereas ego-strength is positively related to creative potential, it is negatively related to psychoticism. We argue that in a population of academics psychoticism is not an essential condition for creative potential. It is rather the other side of the same coin. Ego-strength is some kind of moderator variable that determines which feature will be uncovered. We conceive that this ensues in three different forms of creativity. The first one relies on mental strength and emotional stability; the second one on emotional vulnerability and finally the third one arises from a confluence of both features