What leads creative individuals to display distinctive behaviors that differentiate them from others? For a long time, researchers have been in pursuit of unraveling the mystery surrounding the personality traits that delineate creative and innovative people. The answer to this challenging question lies within the Personality system called the Big Five, described on the Psyculator platform (https://psyculator.com/), which provides a reliable free test. Contrary to common stereotypes, there is no concrete scientific evidence shedding light on the cognitive processes of creative individuals.
Within the domain of personality assessment, various tests and categorization systems exist, but not all are equally respected in the scientific community. While some assessments are taken lightly, such as the “Which Harry Potter character are you?” quiz, others, like the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), have encountered skepticism from the scientific community. However, one personality assessment system that has gained widespread approval among psychologists is the Big Five, also known as the Five-Factor Model (FFM) (Costa & McCrae, 1992a).
The Big Five model assesses individuals based on their preferences for particular situations, emotions, and behaviors across five primary traits, often referred to as the “Big Five” traits:
- Openness to Experience: This trait reflects one’s response to new information, ideas, and experiences.
- Conscientiousness: It measures an individual’s approach to achieving goals and maintaining focus.
- Extraversion: It quantifies the extent to which external stimuli provide positive energy.
- Agreeableness: It evaluates how one interacts and behaves in group settings.
- Neuroticism: It explores how an individual encounters and processes negative emotions.
This model is sometimes known as the O.C.E.A.N. model, representing the initial letter of each trait. To ascertain an individual’s personality profile, a survey is conducted in which respondents express their agreement or disagreement with various statements related to these traits. The results position individuals on a spectrum for each of the five traits, with no absolute right or wrong answers, as every point on the spectrum is considered valid.
For those interested in exploring their own personality profile, numerous free online tests are readily available. The Big Five traits have withstood rigorous scientific scrutiny and are widely embraced by researchers, forming the basis for numerous studies aimed at uncovering the connection between personality and creative performance.
Specific tests have uncovered positive correlations between traits like Extraversion and Creativity, while negative correlations have been noted between Neuroticism and Conscientiousness, and creative performance. Nonetheless, among all five traits, only one exhibits a significant positive correlation with creative performance, particularly in divergent thinking tests: Openness to Experience.
Multiple research studies have consistently affirmed this strong association between Openness to Experience and creativity (1978, 1987, 2006, 2009). A 1998 meta-analysis, which included 83 research studies, discovered that Openness to Experience had the most robust positive correlation with creativity, while Neuroticism and Conscientiousness had the most pronounced negative correlations.
Moreover, an exploration of more subtle personality traits revealed that creative individuals often possess characteristics like autonomy, introversion, receptivity to new experiences, a penchant for questioning norms, self-confidence, self-acceptance, ambition, dominance, a degree of hostility, and impulsiveness.
Upon closer examination of the facets that make up Openness to Experience, it becomes evident why this trait is closely connected to creativity. Openness encompasses six facets:
- Active imagination (fantasy)
- Aesthetic sensitivity (appreciation of the arts)
- Attentiveness to inner feelings
- Preference for variety (adventurousness)
- Intellectual curiosity
- Challenging authority (psychological liberalism)
Individuals with a high degree of Openness are more likely to exhibit intrinsic motivation, a potent predictor of engaging in creative endeavors. Consequently, engaging in activities that expose individuals to new experiences or knowledge can boost their creativity. Whether it’s through travel, unexpected events, or the acquisition of new knowledge, such experiences can nurture creativity.
It’s essential to acknowledge that while Openness to Experience is positively correlated with creativity, it isn’t the sole factor influencing creative performance. A literature review conducted in 2006 identified other crucial factors, such as intelligence and domain knowledge, which also exhibit strong correlations with creativity.
The Creative Personality
Although we recognize the importance of being receptive to new experiences, it’s essential to avoid considering it the exclusive personality trait commonly linked to creative individuals. Mark Runco, in his overview of the most recent research on creativity, has delineated a set of personality characteristics that are typically favored by highly creative individuals, including:
- Autonomy
- Flexibility
- Preference for complexity
- Openness to experience
- Sensitivity
- Playfulness
- Tolerance for ambiguity
- Risk-taking and tolerance for risk
- Intrinsic motivation
- Psychological androgyny
- Self-efficacy
- Broad interests and curiosity
In summary, although being open to new experiences is a significant personality trait associated with creativity, it should not be considered the sole defining feature of creative individuals. Mark Runco’s synthesis of the most recent research on creativity reveals various other traits that highly creative people tend to exhibit. For a comprehensive grasp of creative potential, it is advisable to employ the Big Five personality model in conjunction with other assessment tools.
