Abroad = creativity
In a study led by William Maddux, the aim was to test if there was a link between living abroad and creativity (Maddux, 2009). In five studies employing a multimethod approach using American and European students, the results were as follows: • Studies 1 and 2 provided initial demonstrations that time spent living abroad (but not time spent traveling abroad) showed a positive relationship with creativity. • Study 3 demonstrated that priming foreign living experiences temporarily enhanced creative tendencies for participants who had previously lived abroad. • Study 4 showed the degree to which individuals had adapted to different cultures while living abroad and how it boosted creativity. • Study 5 found that priming the experience of adapting to a foreign culture temporarily enhanced creativity for participants who had previously lived abroad. In a world where resilience is everything, crossing and blowing up borders can boost our self-confidence and make us better leaders and human beings.
Maddux, William and A. D. Galinsky. “Cultural Borders and Mental Barriers: The Relationship Between Living Abroad and Creativity.,” Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 96, no.5 (2009): 1047-61.
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