IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v19y2022i18p11841-d919319.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Perceived Social Support Increases Creativity: Experimental Evidence

Author

Listed:
  • Chee-Seng Tan

    (Department of Psychology and Counselling, Faculty of Arts and Social Science, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR), Kampar 31900, Malaysia)

  • Xi-Yuan Chin

    (Department of Psychology and Counselling, Faculty of Arts and Social Science, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR), Kampar 31900, Malaysia
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Samuel Ta-Chuan Chng

    (Department of Psychology and Counselling, Faculty of Arts and Social Science, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR), Kampar 31900, Malaysia
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Jazen Lee

    (Department of Psychology and Counselling, Faculty of Arts and Social Science, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR), Kampar 31900, Malaysia
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Chia-Sin Ooi

    (Department of Psychology and Counselling, Faculty of Arts and Social Science, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR), Kampar 31900, Malaysia)

Abstract

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.

Suggested Citation

  • Chee-Seng Tan & Xi-Yuan Chin & Samuel Ta-Chuan Chng & Jazen Lee & Chia-Sin Ooi, 2022. "Perceived Social Support Increases Creativity: Experimental Evidence," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(18), pages 1-8, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:18:p:11841-:d:919319
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/18/11841/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/18/11841/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Mengmeng Guo & Naveed Ahmad & Mohammad Adnan & Miklas Scholz & Khalil-ur-Rehman & Rana Tahir Naveed, 2021. "The Relationship of CSR and Employee Creativity in the Hotel Sector: The Mediating Role of Job Autonomy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(18), pages 1-18, September.
    2. Cher-Yi Tan & Chun-Qian Chuah & Shwu-Ting Lee & Chee-Seng Tan, 2021. "Being Creative Makes You Happier: The Positive Effect of Creativity on Subjective Well-Being," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(14), pages 1-14, July.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Wang Hongxin & Mohammed Arshad Khan & Jian Zhenqiang & Laura-Mariana Cismaș & Mohammad Athar Ali & Usama Saleem & Lucia Negruț, 2022. "Unleashing the Role of CSR and Employees’ Pro-Environmental Behavior for Organizational Success: The Role of Connectedness to Nature," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(6), pages 1-22, March.
    2. Amina Amari, 2024. "Expatriate Academics’ Positive Affectivity and Its Influence on Creativity in the Workforce Indigenization Context: Revealing the Role of Perceived Fairness," Administrative Sciences, MDPI, vol. 14(5), pages 1-16, May.
    3. Huan Zhang & Khaoula Omhand & Huaizheng Li & Aqeel Ahmad & Sarminah Samad & Darie Gavrilut & Daniel Badulescu, 2022. "Corporate Social Responsibility and Energy-Related Pro-Environmental Behaviour of Employees in Hospitality Industry," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(23), pages 1-19, December.
    4. Li Xu & Jacob Cherian & Muhammad Zaheer & Muhammad Safdar Sial & Ubaldo Comite & Laura Mariana Cismas & Juan Felipe Espinosa Cristia & Judit Oláh, 2022. "The Role of Healthcare Employees’ Pro-Environmental Behavior for De-Carbonization: An Energy Conservation Approach from CSR Perspective," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-18, May.
    5. Xin Guan & Naveed Ahmad & Muhammad Safdar Sial & Jacob Cherian & Heesup Han, 2023. "CSR and organizational performance: The role of pro‐environmental behavior and personal values," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 30(2), pages 677-694, March.
    6. Ahmad, Naveed & Ullah, Zia & AlDhaen, Esra & Han, Heesup & Scholz, Miklas, 2022. "A CSR perspective to foster employee creativity in the banking sector: The role of work engagement and psychological safety," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 67(C).
    7. Li Xu & Suleiman Jamal Mohammad & Nishad Nawaz & Sarminah Samad & Naveed Ahmad & Ubaldo Comite, 2022. "The Role of CSR for De-Carbonization of Hospitality Sector through Employees: A Leadership Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-18, April.
    8. Shilong Wei & Muhammad Safdar Sial & Wenxia Zhou & Alina Badulescu & Daniel Badulescu, 2021. "Improving the Environmental Footprint through Employees: A Case of Female Leaders from the Perspective of CSR," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(24), pages 1-23, December.
    9. Ying Xu & Diao Jie & Hongyu Wu & Xiaolu Shi & Daniel Badulescu & Sher Akbar & Alina Badulescu, 2022. "Reducing Employee Turnover Intentions in Tourism and Hospitality Sector: The Mediating Effect of Quality of Work Life and Intrinsic Motivation," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(18), pages 1-18, September.
    10. Chee-Seng Tan & Hira Nasir & Kai-Shuen Pheh & Chin Wen Cong & Kok-Wai Tay & Jia-Qi Cheong, 2022. "The Mediating Role of Work Engagement in the Relationship between Executive Functioning Deficits and Employee Well-Being," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(20), pages 1-11, October.
    11. Qinghua Fu & Jacob Cherian & Naveed Ahmad & Miklas Scholz & Sarminah Samad & Ubaldo Comite, 2022. "An Inclusive Leadership Framework to Foster Employee Creativity in the Healthcare Sector: The Role of Psychological Safety and Polychronicity," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(8), pages 1-13, April.
    12. Jiajing Shao & Jacob Cherian & Li Xu & Muhammad Zaheer & Sarminah Samad & Ubaldo Comite & Liana Mester & Daniel Badulescu, 2022. "A CSR Perspective to Drive Employee Creativity in the Hospitality Sector: A Moderated Mediation Mechanism of Inclusive Leadership and Polychronicity," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(10), pages 1-22, May.
    13. Hirose, Junichi & Kotani, Koji & Managi, Shunsuke, 2023. "Do autonomy and inquisitiveness contribute to SDGs? Implications from the matrilineal island of Palau," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 303-318.
    14. Yuwei Deng & Jacob Cherian & Naveed Ahmad & Miklas Scholz & Sarminah Samad, 2022. "Conceptualizing the Role of Target-Specific Environmental Transformational Leadership between Corporate Social Responsibility and Pro-Environmental Behaviors of Hospital Employees," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(6), pages 1-15, March.
    15. Cao, Peng & Sial, Muhammad Safdar & Ã lvarez-Otero, Susana & Brugni, Talles Vianna & Comite, Ubaldo, 2024. "Eco-engagement: Tracing CSR communication's ripple effect on consumer hospitality loyalty," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    16. Jianzhen Zhang & Ziyang Wang & Collins Opoku Antwi & Xiaoyu Liang & Jiahao Ge, 2022. "Geospatial Thinking and Sense of Place: The Mediating Role of Creativity," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(1), pages 1-16, December.
    17. Ghulam Jilani & Guangqin Yang & Irfan Siddique, 2021. "Corporate Social Responsibility and Pro-Environmental Behavior of the Individuals from the Perspective of Protection Motivation Theory," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(23), pages 1-20, December.
    18. Boyao Zhang & Ubaldo Comite & Ali Gokhan Yucel & Xintao Liu & Mohammed Arshad Khan & Shahid Husain & Muhammad Safdar Sial & József Popp & Judit Oláh, 2021. "Unleashing the Importance of TQM and Knowledge Management for Organizational Sustainability in the Age of Circular Economy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(20), pages 1-18, October.
    19. Qinghua Fu & Wafa Ghardallou & Ubaldo Comite & Irfan Siddique & Heesup Han & Juan Manuel Arjona-Fuentes & Antonio Ariza-Montes, 2022. "The Role of CSR in Promoting Energy-Specific Pro-Environmental Behavior among Hotel Employees," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(11), pages 1-19, May.
    20. Aiste Dirzyte & Vytis Valatka, 2023. "Creative and Happy Individuals Concerned about Climate Change: Evidence Based on the 10th Round of the European Social Survey in 22 Countries," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(22), pages 1-18, November.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:18:p:11841-:d:919319. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.