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Flow, affect and visual creativity

journal contribution
posted on 2023-07-26, 13:45 authored by Genevieve M. Cseh, Louise H. Phillips, David G. Pearson
Flow (being in the zone) is purported to have positive consequences in terms of affect and performance; however, there is no empirical evidence about these links in visual creativity. Positive affect often—but inconsistently—facilitates creativity, and both may be linked to experiencing flow. This study aimed to determine relationships between these variables within visual creativity. Participants performed the creative mental synthesis task to simulate the creative process. Affect change (pre- vs. post-task) and flow were measured via questionnaires. The creativity of synthesis drawings was rated objectively and subjectively by judges. Findings empirically demonstrate that flow is related to affect improvement during visual creativity. Affect change was linked to productivity and self-rated creativity, but no other objective or subjective performance measures. Flow was unrelated to all external performance measures but was highly correlated with self-rated creativity; flow may therefore motivate perseverance towards eventual excellence rather than provide direct cognitive enhancement.

History

Refereed

  • Yes

Volume

29

Issue number

2

Page range

281-291

Publication title

Cognition and Emotion

ISSN

1464-0600

Publisher

Taylor & Francis

Language

  • other

Legacy posted date

2016-03-31

Legacy Faculty/School/Department

ARCHIVED Faculty of Science & Technology (until September 2018)

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