Inter-individual differences
People differ in creative potential and creative behavior. Creative potential includes those personality traits (e.g. openness), cognitive abilities (e.g. divergent thinking and intelligence) and domain-specific expertise that predict creative behavior. Creative behavior, in turn, includes observable creative activities and performances. We investigate which traits are relevant for creative potential and how their interplay predicts creative behavior in different domains.
Selected further reading:
- Benedek, M. (2024). On the relationship between creative potential and creative achievement: Challenges and future directions. Learning and Individual Differences, 110, 102424. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lindif.2024.102424
- Benedek, M., Bruckdorfer, R., & Jauk, E. (2020). Motives for creativity: Exploring the what and why of everyday creativity. Journal of Creative Behavior, 54(3), 610-625. https://doi.org/10.1002/jocb.396
- Gerwig, A., Miroshnik, K., Forthmann, B., Benedek, M., Karwowski, M., & Holling H. (2021). The relationship between intelligence and divergent thinking - A meta-analytic update. Journal of Intelligence, 9(2), 23. https://doi.org/10.3390/jintelligence9020023
- Jauk, E., Benedek, M., & Neubauer, A. C. (2014). The road to creative achievement: A latent variable model of ability and personality predictors. European Journal of Personality, 28, 95-105. https://doi.org/10.1002/per.1941
A: Simulation of the creative achievement distribution assuming additive and B: multiplicative effects of five normally distributed measures of creative potential. C:
Empirical distribution of creative achievements adapted from (Jauk et al., 2014); D: Lotka function describing relative frequency of authors with minimum number of
papers written. Simulations show that only multiplicative interactions of creative potential traits would result in a right-skewed distribution consistent with empirical
and theoretical analyses of creative achievement.
Self-assessment and what actually defines a creative professional?
We are not only interested in understanding which traits and processes are relevant for creativity. We also examine how accurately individuals can assess themselves. Why do people believe they are creative? What ideas and concepts do they have about their own creativity, and to what extent is creativity a meaningful part of their identity? And how do laypeople differ from professional artists in this regard? We are working to uncover these nuances and develop the corresponding measures.
Selected reading:
- Benedek, M., Bruckdorfer, R., & Jauk, E. (2020). Motives for creativity: Exploring the what and why of everyday creativity. Journal of Creative Behavior, 54(3), 610-625. https://doi.org/10.1002/jocb.396
- Benedek, M., Calisgan, G. Y. & Saretzki, J. (2024). How do creative professionals stand out? Comparing the creative potential of musicians and actors to non-artists. Personality And Individual Differences, 236, 112993. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2024.112993
- Benedek, M., Saretzki, J. & Lebuda, I. (2025). Why do you think you are creative? An analysis of sources and correlates of creative self-concept judgements. Thinking Skills And Creativity, 57, 101813. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tsc.2025.101813
- Wojtycka, L., Lebuda, I., Saretzki, J., & Benedek, M. (2026). Building the Creative Self: The Sources of Creative Self-Concept Scale. Thinking Skills and Creativity, 102157. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tsc.2026.102157