COVID-19: A Boon or a Bane for Creativity?

Abstract

In many countries, the COVID-19 pandemic led to a period of lockdown that impacted individual’s lifestyles, in both professional and personal spheres. New problems and challenges arose, as well as opportunities. Numerous studies have examined the negative effects of lockdown measures, but few have attempted to shine light on the potential positive effects that may come out of these measures. We focused on one particular positive outcome that might have emerged from lockdown: creativity. To this end, this paper compared professional creativity (Pro-C) and everyday creativity (little-c) before and during lockdown, using a questionnaire-based study conducted on a French sample (N = 1266). We expected participants to be more creative during than prior to lockdown, in both professional and everyday spheres. Regarding professional creativity, we did not see any significant differences between the two comparison points, before and during lockdown. Regarding everyday creativity, we observed a significant increase during lockdown. Furthermore, our results suggest that participants with a lower baseline creativity (before lockdown) benefited more from the situation than those with a higher initial baseline creativity. Our results provide new insights on the impact of lockdown and its positive outcomes. These measures may have inarguably negative consequences on the physical and mental health of many, but their positive impact exists as well.

Through thick and thin: changes in creativity during the first lockdown of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“…Creativity changes were first estimated based on a self-report of a change as perceived by each participant (SCC). SCC revealed that participants experienced being more creative during the lockdown than the period before, which is consistent with previous studies that reported an increase in everyday creativity during the lockdown 32,33 . SCC correlated with the BFI-O score, which captures a basal creative personality trait 38,39 and which was in the range of what has been previously observed 40 .…”

“…The link between BFI-O and SCC was linear: the increase in self-perceived creativity was proportional to the BFI-O score. This last result seems at variance with Mercier and colleagues' 32 results showing that participants with a lower creativity baseline experienced a larger improvement in everyday creativity during the lockdown than those with a higher baseline. Their baseline measure of creativity was assessed by adapting a past tense scale of everyday situations.…”

“…Several studies reported how the pandemic and lockdown had increased psychological distress, mood disorders, loneliness, and anxiety [1][2][3][4][5] , with a potential negative impact on creativity. Nevertheless, the few existing scientific studies that explored creativity during the COVID-19 pandemic have indeed suggested that the lockdown period facilitated everyday creativity 32,33 or that creative abilities could help people dealing with the situation and improve their wellbeing 3,34,35 . However, those studies did not assess how creativity changes related to environmental, contextual, or emotional changes.…”

Creative Lockdown? A Daily Diary Study of Creative Activity During Pandemics

“…COVID-19 devastates not only our health but also economies, including creative professions (Comunian and England, 2020 ). While its effects on everyday creativity are less established (but see Mercier et al, 2021 ), there is a growing number of studies that lead us to infer that even thinking about the threat associated with the recent pandemic is harmful to creative thinking and problem-solving (Karwowski et al, 2020 ). But does it apply to creative activity as well?…”

الأداء التفاضلی للمفردة فی قائمة السلوک الابداعی الیومی باستخدام نظریة الاستجابة للمفردة والتحلیل العاملی التوکیدی متعدد المجموعات لدی طلاب الجامعة

“…Little-c mini-c (Kaufman & Beghetto, 2009) Little-C mini-c little-c , 2018; Richards, 2007). Conner, De Young & Silvia ( Big-C ;Aznar, Sowden, Bayless, Ross, Warhurst & Pachi, 2021( Mercier et al,2021) (Baer & McKool, 2009;Barbot, Besançon & Lubart, 2011;Blamiresa & Peterson, 2014;Kaufman, Baer, Cole & Sexton, 2008 (Kaufman, Lee, Baer & Lee, 2007; ; Krumm, Lemos & Filippetti, 2014;Park et al, Palmon & Kaufman, (2012) 2016) (Baer & McKool, 2009;Kaufman et al, 2007) (Blamiresa & Peterson, 2014 item response theory (IRT) Generalized Partial Credit Model (GPCM; Ostini & Nering, 2006) ‫المجموعات‬ ‫؟‬ ‫البحث:‬ ‫أهداف‬ ‫اليومي‬ .…”