The Influence of Trait and State Creative Self-Efficacy on Creative Behavior: An Experimental Study Using False Feedback

This study explores the relationship between creative self-efficacy and creative behavior by modulating state-level creative self-efficacy through false feedback to enhance creative performance. In Study 1, 1539 college students completed the Alternative Uses Task (AUT) to measure performance-based creativity and the Creative Achievement Questionnaire (CAQ) to assess self-reported creative achievements. The Big Five personality traits and curiosity served as covariates. Regression and correlation analyses were conducted to examine the relationship between trait-level creative self-efficacy and both creative performance measures. Experiment 2 employed a 2 × 2 between-subjects design to test the effects of false feedback (positive vs. negative) and trait-level creative self-efficacy (high vs. low) on state-level creative self-efficacy and creative behavior, using the same covariates. In Study 1, creative self-efficacy was positively correlated with both AUT and CAQ, with stronger associations for CAQ. Experiment 2 found that false feedback significantly affected state-level creative self-efficacy and the originality of creative behavior. Changes in state-level creative self-efficacy were positively correlated with originality. This study emphasizes the role of both trait and state-level creative self-efficacy in influencing creative behavior. It offers insights for enhancing creativity through feedback, with implications for educational and workplace settings.