Are Adolescents with Higher Openness More Creative Under Stress? The Mediating Role of Stress Perception and Cognitive Flexibility

TL;DR

Adolescents with higher openness may be more creative under stress due to lower stress perception and better cognitive flexibility.

Contribution

This study identifies openness as a protective trait against stress's negative impact on creativity through stress perception and cognitive flexibility.

Findings

Stress perception and cognitive flexibility mediate the negative effect of stress on creative tendency.

High openness is associated with lower stress perception and higher cognitive flexibility under stress.

The protective effect of openness weakens as stress levels increase.

Abstract

Stress is a major risk factor for creativity development in adolescents. This study explored the protective effect of openness on creative tendency under stress and revealed the underlying mechanisms from the perspectives of stress perception and cognitive flexibility. A total of 1489 junior high school students (Mage = 13.65 years, SD = 0.74) participated in the study. The results showed that stress perception and cognitive flexibility sequentially mediated the negative effect of stressors on creative tendency, and openness moderated this process. Individuals with high openness had lower stress perception and higher cognitive flexibility at the same level of stressors, thus showing a higher creative tendency. However, the protective effect of openness diminished as the stress level increased. We concluded that openness could buffer the negative effects of stress on creative tendency to some extent. These findings highlight the importance of positive personality traits and provide a theoretical guide for cultivating creative qualities.

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