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.

Research has shown that social networking sites (SNS), such as Facebook and WhatsApp, make it more convenient for older adults to bond with friends and family. However, despite such benefits, studies also found few older adults use SNS, and even fewer older adults use SNS in less developed nations. Therefore, it is important to identify factors that can influence intention to use SNS in older adults, especially among the Malaysian Chinese population, as they will face an aging society earlier than other ethnic groups in Malaysia. This study used the Technology Acceptance Model and Reasoned Action Approach to examine whether factors such as perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, selfefficacy, and subjective norms, are significant predictors of intention to use SNS among Malaysian Chinese older adults. Purposive and snowball sampling methods were used to recruit 288 Malaysian Chinese adults aged 60 and above to participate in this survey. Multiple regression was used to analyze the data. Results showed that subjective norms played the most important role in intention to use SNS among Malaysian Chinese older adults. These findings can provide insight for program managers and policymakers when promoting SNS use among older adults.

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has severely disrupted the well-being and mental health of people around the world. Positive emotions like resilience and gratitude have been proven to be able to improve one’s well-being. The theory of Broaden-and-build was used to explore resilience’s mediating role in the relationship between gratitude and well-being among Malaysian adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. The data of 530 participants aged 18 to 35 years was analyzed using SmartPLS. The results showed that grateful and more resilient participants showed a better well-being, and the effects were further moderated by financial income and marital status. The results also supported the hypothetical statistical mediation model in which resilience is the statistical mediator for the association between gratitude and well-being. The results highlighted the significant influence of gratitude and resilience on Malaysian adults’ well-being and explained the role of gratitude in boosting their well-being. It is suggested that policymakers and mental health professionals should consider promoting gratitude and resilience to increase positive emotions and well-being in young adults and help society to be prepared for challenging times of adversity in the future.

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