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Abstract
It is well established that there is an academic achievement gap between students from high and low socioeconomic family backgrounds. However, how being brought up and living in different socioeconomic backgrounds impacts adolescent development, particularly their creative capabilities and creativity-related personality traits, is not well understood. This study compared creative capabilities and traits of 8th grade students of 2 school districts: a suburban, upper-middle class community and an urban community with a large proportion of families under poverty, located in a northeastern state. The results provide compelling evidence for a creativity gap. The study also found a possible mediating role of academic achievement and intrinsic cognitive motivation, suggesting that the psychosocial processes and mechanisms leading to the creativity gap are tractable. Implications of the findings for optimal adolescent development and social interventions are discussed.
Notes
Note. On the diagonal are alpha reliabilities. Grade in M/Sci = self-reported grades in math/science; Grade in LA/SS = self-reported grades in language arts/social studies. PT Support = perceived parent and teacher support for developing creativity-related characteristics; Cognitive Motivation = Need for Cognition; Openness = Openness to Experience. (On the right columns).
High SES = mean scores for high SES schools, Low SES school = mean scores for low SES schools.
Note. All decimals are rounded up to two digits. β is standardized regression coefficient. R 2Δ =R 2 increase.
*p < .05. **p < .01.