Perceived Social Support Increases Creativity: Experimental Evidence

Chee-Seng Tan (), Xi-Yuan Chin, Samuel Ta-Chuan Chng, Jazen Lee and Chia-Sin Ooi
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Chee-Seng Tan: Department of Psychology and Counselling, Faculty of Arts and Social Science, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR), Kampar 31900, Malaysia
Xi-Yuan Chin: Department of Psychology and Counselling, Faculty of Arts and Social Science, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR), Kampar 31900, Malaysia
Samuel Ta-Chuan Chng: Department of Psychology and Counselling, Faculty of Arts and Social Science, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR), Kampar 31900, Malaysia
Jazen Lee: Department of Psychology and Counselling, Faculty of Arts and Social Science, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR), Kampar 31900, Malaysia
Chia-Sin Ooi: Department of Psychology and Counselling, Faculty of Arts and Social Science, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR), Kampar 31900, Malaysia

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 18, 1-8

Abstract: The literature has consistently shown that social support has a positive relationship with creativity. However, further investigation is needed to clarify the causal relationship between the two constructs. The present study addressed this need by exploring the impact of experimentally induced perceived social support on creativity among young adults. A total of 135 undergraduate students in Malaysia participated in an online experiment. All participants first answered the creative self-efficacy scale and were then randomly allocated to the experimental and control groups. Perceived social support was primed by a writing test and measured by the Multidimensional Scales of Perceived Social Support. Both groups also answered a divergent thinking test (measured for fluency, flexibility, and originality) and a self-rated creativity scale. Multivariate analysis of covariance showed that, after statistically controlling for the effect of creative self-efficacy, participants in the experimental group reported higher scores in perceived social support and all creativity measures than their counterparts in the control group. The results demonstrated that the manipulation is effective and the induced perceived social support leads to higher creativity. Our findings not only offer empirical evidence of the causality of social support and creativity but also has practical value for creativity development.

Keywords: creativity; divergent thinking; experiment; perceived social support; Malaysia (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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