EFFECTS OF COACTION, EXPECTED EVALUATION, AND GOAL-SETTING ON CREATIVITY AND PRODUCTIVITY

Social and contextual factors have been theorized to significantly influence creative performance. This research examined effects of three factors on individual creativity and productivity: coaction, expected evaluation, and goal setting. Study 1 indicated that high levels of creativity occurred when individuals worked alone, and productivity was high when they worked alone under no expectation of evaluation. Study 2 found the highest creativity occurred when individuals had a creativity goal and worked alone under expected evaluation. Productivity was low when people worked alone or were assigned a creativity goal. Implications of these results for models of creativity and managing creativity at work are discussed.