Psychopathology, adversity, and creativity

Diversifying experiences in the development of eminent African Americans

Bibliographic Data

ID6201592
AuthorsRodica Ioana Damian (0000-0002-0046-0627), Dean K Simonton (0000-0002-7709-7977, University of California, Davis)
Year2015
Volume108
Issue4
Pages623-636
Publication date2015-04-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Personality and Social Psychology (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0022-3514 • E-ISSN: 1939-1315
PublisherAmerican Psychological Association (APA) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1037/pspi0000011
PMID25090126
OpenAlexW2009898420
LanguageEN
Citations received18
References cited26

Symptoms associated with mental illness have been hypothesized to relate to creative achievement because they act as diversifying experiences. However, this theory has only been tested on predominantly majority-culture samples. Do tendencies toward mental illness still predict eminent creativity when they coexist with other diversifying experiences, such as early parental death, minority-status, or poverty? These alternative diversifying experiences can be collectively referred to as examples of developmental adversity. This conjecture was tested on a significant sample of 291 eminent African Americans who, by the nature of their status as long-term minorities, would experience more developmental adversity. Replicating majority-culture patterns, African American artists showed higher mental illness rates than African American scientists. Yet the absolute percentages were significantly lower for the African Americans, regardless of profession. Furthermore, mental illness predicted higher eminence levels only for the African American artists, an effect that diminished when controlling for developmental adversity. Because the latter predicted eminence for both artists and scientists, the "madness-to-genius" link probably represents just 1 of several routes by which diversifying experiences can influence eminence. The same developmental ends can be attained by different means. This inference warrants further research using other eminent creators emerging from minority culture populations

Creativity · Developmental psychology · Diversity (politics) · Genius · Mental health · Mental illness · Political science · Poverty · Psychiatry · Psychopathology · Sociology · Anthropology · Art Therapy and Mental Health · Clinical Psychology · Creativity in Education and Neuroscience · Identity, Memory, and Therapy · Law · Psychology · Social Psychology

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