Prof. Markus Baer (Washington University)

Program

• Date: 26.11.2012
  Time: 10am - 12.30am
  Location: Amalienstr. 52, Room 507

Creativity contests: A panacea for all circumstances?

Integrating social role theory with insights from social identity theory, we extend a contingency perspective on intergroup competition proposing that having groups compete against one another is stimulating to the creativity of groups composed largely or exclusively of men but detrimental to the creativity of groups composed largely or exclusively of women. We tested this idea in two laboratory experiments and in one field study. Study 1 showed that competition had the expected positive effects on the creativity of groups composed of all men but did not produce the predicted negative effects on the creativity of groups composed of all women. Study 2 extended the earlier findings and showed that the anticipated effects of competition on group creativity emerged at the higher end of the competition spectrum and also emerged in sex heterogeneous groups. This study also found that a measure of group collaboration mediated the joint effects of competition and sex composition on group creativity. Finally, Study 3 replicated the results of Study 2 in a field setting involving R&D teams. We discuss the implications of these findings for theory and practice.