The Creative Classroom: Group Structure, Self-Efficacy, and Conformity Effects

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Thursday 9:45 am - Gold 4
  In Roundtable Session: Giftedness, Creativity, and Talent Roundtable: Creativity and Achievement

Abstract

This study investigates how group work structure—competition versus collaboration—affects creativity in K–12 classrooms across idea generation and selection phases. A quasi-experimental design with 246 upper elementary students (mean age = 11.3 years) examined the moderating roles of creative self-efficacy and perceived conformity. Competition enhanced fluency and overall creativity during idea generation, while collaboration promoted originality and appropriateness in idea selection. Creative self-efficacy moderated fluency and appropriateness, and conformity suppressed originality but enhanced appropriateness depending on context. Situated within the peer-sensitive developmental stage of early adolescence, the findings underscore the importance of phase-specific group structuring and attention to individual dispositions in fostering creativity. Implications for instructional design in socially dynamic classroom environments are discussed.

Authors

• Yun kyoung Kim, Seoul National University

• Seon-Young Lee, Seoul National University