Management Papers
Document Type
Journal Article
Date of this Version
1-2012
Publication Source
Psychological Science
Volume
23
Issue
1
Start Page
13
Last Page
17
DOI
10.1177/0956797611421018
Abstract
People often reject creative ideas, even when espousing creativity as a desired goal. To explain this paradox, we propose that people can hold a bias against creativity that is not necessarily overt and that is activated when people experience a motivation to reduce uncertainty. In two experiments, we manipulated uncertainty using different methods, including an uncertainty-reduction prime. The results of both experiments demonstrated the existence of a negative bias against creativity (relative to practicality) when participants experienced uncertainty. Furthermore, this bias against creativity interfered with participants’ ability to recognize a creative idea. These results reveal a concealed barrier that creative actors may face as they attempt to gain acceptance for their novel ideas.
Keywords
creativity, bias, stereotyped attitudes, social cognition
Recommended Citation
Mueller, J. S., Melwani, S., & Goncalo, J. A. (2012). The Bias Against Creativity: Why People Desire but Reject Creative Ideas. Psychological Science, 23 (1), 13-17. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0956797611421018
Date Posted: 27 November 2017
This document has been peer reviewed.