New Ideas, Old Brain Quick Bit #5: Self Versus Other Cultural Considerations and Team Creativity

Paper citation

Choi, H., & Yoon, Y. (2018). Collectivistic values and an independent mindset jointly promote group creativity: Further evidence for a synergy model. Group Dynamics, 22, 236-248.

Abstract

In an experiment involving 3-person laboratory groups (N = 56), we examined the combined effect of group members’ value orientation and their general mindset on group creativity. We induced a collectivistic (vs. individualistic) value orientation via a group-based (vs. individual-based) incentives. We also induced an independent (vs. interdependent) mindset by activating a focus on uniqueness and differentiation (vs. similarity and assimilation). Consistent with a synergy model of individualism-collectivism (Choi, Cho, Seo, & Bechtoldt, 2018), we found that groups generated more original ideas when members combined a collectivistic value orientation with an independent mindset than with an interdependent mindset. By contrast, no significant effects emerged when an individualistic value orientation was induced. We also found that this effect was mediated by the thinking process conducive to creativity (i.e., low fixation), thereby illuminating the underlying cognitive mechanism of the synergy effect. Implications of these findings for research on culture and group creativity are discussed.