Individual Differences in Emotional Creativity: Structure and Correlates

The structure and correlates of emotional creativity were explored in a series of six studies, using a specially constructed measure of individual differences—the Emotional Creativity Inventory (ECI). Analyses of the ECI suggest that three facets of emotional creativity can be distinguished empirica...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of personality 1999-04, Vol.67 (2), p.331-371
Main Author: Averill, James R.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Adult
Affect
Correlates
Creativity
Emotional coping
Emotional creativity
Emotional Creativity Inventory
Emotions
Female
Humans
Individual differences
Internal-External Control
Male
Middle Aged
Personal development
Personality
Structure
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Summary:The structure and correlates of emotional creativity were explored in a series of six studies, using a specially constructed measure of individual differences—the Emotional Creativity Inventory (ECI). Analyses of the ECI suggest that three facets of emotional creativity can be distinguished empirically as well as theoretically, namely, preparedness (understanding and learning from one’s own and others’ emotions), novelty (the ability to experience unusual emotions), and effectiveness/authenticity (the skill to express emotions adroitly and honestly). Women score higher than men on emotional preparedness and effectiveness/authenticity, but not on the novelty of their responses. People who score high on the ECI are considered by their peers to be more emotionally creative, presumably on the basis of everyday behavior. Associations between emotional creativity as measured by the ECI and a variety of other personality variables (including the Big Five personality traits, mysticism, self‐esteem, authoritarianism, locus of control, alexithymia, and ways of coping) are examined, as is the relation between emotional creativity and prior traumatic experiences.
ISSN:0022-3506
1467-6494
DOI:10.1111/1467-6494.00058