The life and death of creativity: The effects of mortality salience on self versus social-directed creative expression |
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Authors: | Clay Routledge Jamie Arndt Matthew Vess Kennon M Sheldon |
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Institution: | (1) North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND, USA;(2) University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, MO, USA |
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Abstract: | Research in terror management theory suggests that our connections to others function, in part, to provide protection from
the anxiety associated with the awareness of inevitable death. The individuating nature of creative expression can potentially
undermine these connections, making creativity particularly problematic when one is dealing with mortality concerns. Consistent
with this, a number of findings have elucidated emotional consequences associated with creativity when mortality concerns
are active. However, to date, research has not focused on how mortality awareness may impact levels of creativity. The present
study assessed the hypothesis that mortality concerns will inhibit creative behavior that threatens social connections but
will not undermine and may even facilitate creative behavior that bolsters social connections. The results showed that amplified
concerns about mortality decreased creativity when the act was self-directed but not when it was community-directed. Theoretical
implications and future directions are discussed. |
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Keywords: | Terror management Creativity Social connectedness Individuation |
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