Self-Regulation of Creativity: Toward Measuring Strategies of Creative Action

ABSTRACT

How are creative ideas transformed into creative behavior, products, and achievements? We posit that this transformation is facilitated by self-regulation of creativity. The present study develops a self-report scale and provides initial evidence of validity in assessing two major aspects of self-regulation of creativity: expectations about the creative process before the task and strategies of regulation during the creative task. Cross-validated factor analyses identified three dimensions of expectations: expecting a nonlinear process, importance of task completion, and expecting criticism, and four dimensions of regulation strategies during the creative process: adjusting approach, planning, fragile regulation, and embracing risk. Convergent and discriminant validity was supported in relation to measures of general self-regulation, personality, well-being, and motivation. Finally, we provide support for the predictive validity of self-regulation of creativity scales for creative achievement beyond openness to experience. We discuss the need for research on the nature of the process of transforming and realizing creative ideas.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The work was supported by the Imagination Institute.