A Recipe for Success? Sustaining Creativity Among First-Time Creative Producers

Sustaining creativity is difficult. We identify the conditions that determine repeat production of novelty among first-time producers, and the psychological mechanism transmitting their effects. Our theoretical model highlights that the novelty of a first production can lower the probability of crea...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of applied psychology 2023-01, Vol.108 (1), p.100-113
Main Authors: Deichmann, Dirk, Baer, Markus
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Achievement
Business Students
Creativity
Female
First Experiences
Human
Humans
Identity
Male
Probability
Test Construction
Threat
Writers
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Summary:Sustaining creativity is difficult. We identify the conditions that determine repeat production of novelty among first-time producers, and the psychological mechanism transmitting their effects. Our theoretical model highlights that the novelty of a first production can lower the probability of creating a second production, particularly when the first production is bestowed with an award or recognition. This effect occurs primarily because individuals who win an award for a prior novel production experience a greater threat to their creative identity when anticipating having to produce follow-up novel work. We test our theoretical model in three studies: an archival study of first-time cookbook authors in the United Kingdom and two experiments. Our results provide some support for our theoretical model-award-winning producers of novel cookbooks (or ideas for them) are less likely to follow-up their initial production with a second one, largely because of the potential erosion to a person's creative identity that doing so may cause. Our findings highlight the intricacies of sustaining creativity over time and offer insights into why some producers abandon their creative efforts.
ISSN:0021-9010
1939-1854
DOI:10.1037/apl0001019