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28 - Group Affect and Creativity

from Part V - Emotions and Creativity at School and Work

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 February 2023

By
Hector Madrid ,
Malcolm Patterson  and
Rodrigo Alday
Edited by
Zorana Ivcevic ,
Jessica D. Hoffmann  and
James C. Kaufman
Zorana Ivcevic
Affiliation:
Yale University, Connecticut
Jessica D. Hoffmann
Affiliation:
Yale University, Connecticut
James C. Kaufman
Affiliation:
University of Connecticut
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Summary

The role of affect in individual creativity is well established in extensive theory and empirical research. Scholars have proven that positive and negative feelings can promote creativity due to psychological processes associated with information processing and motivation. However, the function of group-level affect, namely, the shared feelings experienced among members of the same groups, for the same outcomes, have received limited attention in research and practice. This chapter addresses this dearth of knowledge by examining and summarizing the studies available in this field of inquiry and proposing a theoretical elaboration to better understand why group-level affect matters for creativity in groups. Based on this work, we propose that the influences of group affect on creativity outcomes occur through social integration mechanisms such as cohesion, trust, and collaboration. Finally, we identify and suggest future opportunities for research.

Keywords

creativityaffectaffective tonegroupsteams
Type
Chapter
Information
The Cambridge Handbook of Creativity and Emotions , pp. 540 - 558
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2023

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