The Effects of Extrinsic Motivation on Scientific and Artistic Creativity among Middle School Students

Abstract

The present study tested the effects of extrinsic motivation on scientific and artistic creativity among Chinese middle school students. In Study 1, a between‐groups design was applied to examine the effects of expected rewards on scientific and artistic creativity among 123 students, and in Study 2 the same design was applied to examine the effects of expected evaluation from different raters on scientific and artistic creativity among 120 students. We also considered the effects of grade and gender in both studies. The results of Study 1 indicated that expected material reward had significant negative effects on scientific creativity for 7th graders, while expected social reward had significant positive effects on scientific creativity for 8th graders, and both expected material and social rewards had significant positive effects on artistic creativity. The results of Study 2 indicated that expected evaluation from teachers and classmates had significant negative effects on scientific creativity and significant positive effects on artistic creativity. These results suggest that there is no one‐size‐fits‐all answer to the effects of extrinsic motivation and creativity, Factors such as culture, type of extrinsic motivation, grade, and domains of creativity must be fully considered when cultivating adolescents’ creativity.

Creative Lockdown? A Daily Diary Study of Creative Activity During Pandemics

“…Although many studies focus on one or two domains of creative functioning (e.g., Agnoli et al, 2016;Ivcevic, 2007;Kaufman et al, 2013;Xue et al, 2020), including the broadest distinction commonly 8 CREATIVE LOCKDOWN made between artistic and scientific creativity (e.g., Batey & Furnham, 2006). Richness of creativity in emerging adulthood deserves a more systematic investigation.…”

Does Cognitive Style Moderate Expected Evaluation and Adolescents' Creative Performance: An Empirical Study

“…However, there are always disputes regarding the relationship between extrinsic motivation and creativity (Vallerand, 1997). One possible reason maybe the culture differences; some researchers have suggested that extrinsic motivation could facilitate creative performance in eastern cultures (Liu, Niu & Day, 2010; Niu & Kaufman, 2013; Pang & Plucker, 2012; Xue, et al, 2018). The other reason maybe the interaction between extrinsic motivation and individual differences is complicated.…”

“…Researchers have been looking closely at which factors in the school environment are most important for creativity (Hu, 2010; Hu & Han, 2015; Ogletree, 2000). One of the external factors is teachers' evaluations, which is thought as a very important extrinsic motivator inspired intrinsic motivation (Kong & Liu, 2018; Xue et al, 2018). Expected evaluation refers to individual expectation of being assessed when performing (Amabile, 1993; Wang et al, 2016).…”

“…Some researchers believed that expected evaluation impaired creativity (Amabile, 1979; Amabile, Goldfarb, & Brackfield, 1990; Bartis et al, 1988; Heyman & Dweck, 1992; Hu et al, 2018). Some research findings are at variance with this point of view in that expected evaluation sometimes can facilitate creativity (e.g., Qu & Shi, 2005; Shalley, 1995; Xue et al, 2018; Yuan & Zhou, 2008). For instance, Shalley (1995) found individuals showed higher creativity with expected evaluation when they worked individually.…”

How Adolescents Develop and Implement Their Ideas? On Self-Regulation of Creative Action

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