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The creative spark of death: the effects of mortality salience and personal need for structure on creativity

The creative spark of death: the effects of mortality salience and personal need for structure on creativity
The creative spark of death: the effects of mortality salience and personal need for structure on creativity
Previous research indicates that the awareness of death can be a barrier to creative expression. Specifically, when mortality is rendered salient, creativity is inhibited. However, no studies have considered how individual differences may impact the effect of mortality salience on creativity. Past research has found that mortality salience increases explorative thought processes for individuals low in personal need for structure. Thus, for these people, mortality salience may increase, not decrease, creativity. The current study examined this possibility. Personal need for structure was measured, mortality salience was experimentally manipulated, and creativity was assessed. As predicted, mortality salience increased creativity amongst individuals low in personal need for structure. No effect of mortality salience was observed amongst individuals high in personal need for structure.
terror management, creativity, personal need for structure
0146-7239
478-482
Routledge, Clay
c1e0088a-3cc4-4d54-bbd3-de7d286429d8
Juhl, Jacob
1c3b38b1-ba9e-4f3c-8520-ebca3b712fa2
Routledge, Clay
c1e0088a-3cc4-4d54-bbd3-de7d286429d8
Juhl, Jacob
1c3b38b1-ba9e-4f3c-8520-ebca3b712fa2

Routledge, Clay and Juhl, Jacob (2012) The creative spark of death: the effects of mortality salience and personal need for structure on creativity. Motivation and Emotion, 36 (4), 478-482. (doi:10.1007/s11031-011-9274-1).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Previous research indicates that the awareness of death can be a barrier to creative expression. Specifically, when mortality is rendered salient, creativity is inhibited. However, no studies have considered how individual differences may impact the effect of mortality salience on creativity. Past research has found that mortality salience increases explorative thought processes for individuals low in personal need for structure. Thus, for these people, mortality salience may increase, not decrease, creativity. The current study examined this possibility. Personal need for structure was measured, mortality salience was experimentally manipulated, and creativity was assessed. As predicted, mortality salience increased creativity amongst individuals low in personal need for structure. No effect of mortality salience was observed amongst individuals high in personal need for structure.

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More information

Published date: December 2012
Keywords: terror management, creativity, personal need for structure
Organisations: Psychology

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 348135
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/348135
ISSN: 0146-7239
PURE UUID: 50609378-c7fd-437c-a56d-5e1947678f2d

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Date deposited: 06 Feb 2013 14:02
Last modified: 14 Mar 2024 12:55

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Contributors

Author: Clay Routledge
Author: Jacob Juhl

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