Creative Omnivores

An Experience Sampling Study of the Variety and Diversity of Everyday Creative Activities

Bibliographic Data

ID21612190
AuthorsPaul J Silvia (0000-0003-4597-328X, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, corresponding author), Katherine N Cotter (0000-0003-0348-3645, University of Pennsylvania), Alexander P Christensen (0000-0002-9798-7037, Vanderbilt University)
Year2023
Volume35
Issue3
Pages427-437
Publication date2023-07-03
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueCreativity Research Journal (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1040-0419 • E-ISSN: 1532-6934
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/10400419.2023.2226453
OpenAlexW4381733408
LanguageEN
Citations received5
References cited42

Studies of everyday creativity suggest that some people are like creative omnivores, dabbling in a broad range of creative pursuits, but others are like picky eaters, focusing on a single creative passion. A week-long experience sampling study examined the breadth vs depth of 125 university students’ everyday creative activities. Several times a day, people were asked if they were doing something creative, and if they were, to describe what they were doing. Diversity statistics quantified the variety (number of distinct domains) and balance (the relative predominance of any domain) of their creative activities. The sample varied widely in both aspects of diversity, reflecting differences in whether people’s creative efforts were relatively broad or focused. Notably, people who were high in openness to experience showed significantly higher variety (they did more kinds of creative activities) yet lower balance (one or two activities predominated), suggesting that they had a broad creative diet but a few favorite foods

Creativity · Experience sampling method · Openness to experience · Sociology · Statistics · Anthropology · Creativity in Education and Neuroscience · Flow Experience in Various Fields · Mind wandering and attention · Psychology · Social Psychology

Tools

Open DOI