The Complex Relationship between Creativity and Academic Achievement

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

Abstract

Creative potential includes creative ability, creative personality, and domain expertise. While creative ability is associated with academic achievement, the relationship between creative personality in K-12 achievement is underexplored. We conducted four studies on this topic with high-ability students. The first paper, including two studies, examined how the shallow creative personality trait of creative self-concept was related to academic achievement in grades 4-9. The second paper, containing two more studies, explored how the deep creative personality trait of openness to experience was related to achievement in grades 4-10. There was limited evidence of creative self-concept’s association with achievement, while paper two found moderate evidence of openness’s association with achievement. This suggests deep personality traits better predict academic achievement than shallow ones.

Authors

• Beatrice Ruiz, Baylor University

• Madelyn Chance, Baylor University

• Todd Kettler, Baylor University

• Nilay Gunel, Baylor University