No pain, no gains: Negative mood leads to process gains in idea-generation groups.

Abstract

Research has consistently demonstrated that individuals tend to outperform groups on idea-generation tasks (e.g., Mullen, Johnson, & Salas, 1991). However, mood states have the capacity to alter the coordination and motivation of group members, leading to performance gains or performance losses. In this experiment, individuals and 3-person groups generated slogans for a fictitious company after experiencing a positive or negative mood induction. Contrary to previous research, negative mood groups in our study actually generated slogans that were more creative than those produced by negative mood individuals. No differences emerged for positive individuals and groups. In the negative conditions, the effect of level of analysis (individual vs. group) on creativity was mediated by persistence on the slogan-generation task. Results are presented in the context of feelings-as-information (N. Schwarz & G. L. Clore, 1988).

A multilevel model of transformational leadership, affect, and creative process behavior in work teams

“…In contrast, activating negative group affect (i.e., that transmits a problematic situation) may prompt team members to worker harder to look for a creative solution (e.g., Jones & Kelly, 2009;Kelly & Spoor, 2007). We argue in particular that the creative benefits of activating negative group affective tone are more salient with the presence of a TFL leader's idealized influence and inspirational motivation.…”

“…For example, Grawitch and his colleagues (Grawitch, Munz, Elliott et al, 2003;Grawitch, Munz, & Kramer, 2003) found in two laboratory studies that, ceteris paribus, happy individuals working together are more creative than other groups. Similarly, Kelly and her associates (Jones & Kelly, 2009;Kelly & Spoor, 2007) found support for the idea that a group's shared negative affective tone communicates a problematic environment, thereby prompting more persistent efforts to discover a creative solution to a problem (rather than settling prematurely on inferior solutions).…”

“…The major focus of this article therefore is to present a multilevel view of research on affect and creativity in teams and to address how leadership behaviors may serve as contextual factors underlying the affect-creative process relationships at different levels (e.g., Grawitch, Munz, Elliott, & Mathis, 2003;Jones & Kelly, 2009;Tsai et al, 2012). As such, we believe that our conceptual model contributes to the burgeoning literature on affect, creativity, and TFL in three respects.…”

“…Research (e.g., Jones & Kelly, 2009;Tsai et al, 2012; see Zhou & Hoever, 2014 for a review) has also recently touched upon the role of affect as an influence on collective creativity at group and interpersonal levels of analysis. In particular, collective affective experiences have been shown to influence creative behaviors, essentially mirroring affective effects at the within-person level.…”

How stress influences creativity in game-based situations: Analysis of stress hormones, negative emotions, and working memory

“…Many systematic empirical studies have examined the relationships between the valence of emotion and creativity (Zenasni & Lubart, 2008); many studies have found that negative emotions enhance creativity (Baruch, Grotberg, & Stutman, 2008;Carlsson, 2002;Hirt, Devers, & McCrea, 2008;Jones & Kelly, 2009;Zenasni & Lubart, 2009). More recently, a three-dimensional theory, developed by Baas et al (2008), has been proposed to explain the relationship between emotion and creativity.…”