Mad Genius Revisited: Vulnerability to Psychopathology, Biobehavioral Approach-Avoidance, and Creativity (2024)

Baas, M., Nijstad, B. A., Boot, N. C., & De Dreu, C. K. W. (2016). Mad Genius Revisited: Vulnerability to Psychopathology, Biobehavioral Approach-Avoidance, and Creativity. Psychological Bulletin, 142(6), 668-692. https://doi.org/10.1037/bul0000049

Baas, Matthijs ; Nijstad, Bernard A. ; Boot, Nathalie C. et al. / Mad Genius Revisited : Vulnerability to Psychopathology, Biobehavioral Approach-Avoidance, and Creativity. In: Psychological Bulletin. 2016 ; Vol. 142, No. 6. pp. 668-692.

@article{1c03365bc75a4e528d273615a00d6d6e,

title = "Mad Genius Revisited: Vulnerability to Psychopathology, Biobehavioral Approach-Avoidance, and Creativity",

abstract = "Although many believe that creativity associates with a vulnerability to psychopathology, research findings are inconsistent. Here we address this possible linkage between risk of psychopathology and creativity in nonclinical samples. We propose that propensity for specific psychopathologies can be linked to basic motivational approach and avoidance systems, and that approach and avoidance motivation differentially influences creativity. Based on this reasoning, we predict that propensity for approach-based psychopathologies (e.g., positive schizotypy and risk of bipolar disorder) associates with increased creativity, whereas propensity for avoidance-based psychopathologies (e.g., anxiety, negative schizotypy, and depressive mood) associates with reduced creativity. Previous meta-analyses resonate with this proposition and showed small positive relations between positive schizotypy and creativity and small negative relations between negative schizotypy and creativity and between anxiety and creativity. To this we add new meta-analytic findings showing that risk of bipolar disorder (e.g., hypomania, mania) positively associates with creativity (k = 28, r = .224), whereas depressive mood negatively associates (albeit weakly) with creativity (k = 39, r = -.064). Our theoretical framework, along with the meta-analytic results, indicates when and why specific psychopathologies, and their inclinations, associate with increased or, instead, reduced creativity.",

keywords = "psychopathology, creativity, mental disorder, motivation, dopamine, ATTENTION-DEFICIT/HYPERACTIVITY DISORDER, OBSESSIVE-COMPULSIVE DISORDER, HYPOMANIC PERSONALITY SCALE, SELF-REFLECTIVE RUMINATION, BIPOLAR SPECTRUM DISORDERS, COMMON MENTAL-DISORDERS, VERBAL FLUENCY, AFFECTIVE TEMPERAMENTS, COGNITIVE FLEXIBILITY, BEHAVIORAL-INHIBITION",

author = "Matthijs Baas and Nijstad, {Bernard A.} and Boot, {Nathalie C.} and {De Dreu}, {Carsten K. W.}",

year = "2016",

month = jun,

doi = "10.1037/bul0000049",

language = "English",

volume = "142",

pages = "668--692",

journal = "Psychological Bulletin",

issn = "0033-2909",

publisher = "AMER PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOC",

number = "6",

}

Baas, M, Nijstad, BA, Boot, NC & De Dreu, CKW 2016, 'Mad Genius Revisited: Vulnerability to Psychopathology, Biobehavioral Approach-Avoidance, and Creativity', Psychological Bulletin, vol. 142, no. 6, pp. 668-692. https://doi.org/10.1037/bul0000049

Mad Genius Revisited: Vulnerability to Psychopathology, Biobehavioral Approach-Avoidance, and Creativity. / Baas, Matthijs; Nijstad, Bernard A.; Boot, Nathalie C. et al.
In: Psychological Bulletin, Vol. 142, No. 6, 06.2016, p. 668-692.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

TY - JOUR

T1 - Mad Genius Revisited

T2 - Vulnerability to Psychopathology, Biobehavioral Approach-Avoidance, and Creativity

AU - Baas, Matthijs

AU - Nijstad, Bernard A.

AU - Boot, Nathalie C.

AU - De Dreu, Carsten K. W.

PY - 2016/6

Y1 - 2016/6

N2 - Although many believe that creativity associates with a vulnerability to psychopathology, research findings are inconsistent. Here we address this possible linkage between risk of psychopathology and creativity in nonclinical samples. We propose that propensity for specific psychopathologies can be linked to basic motivational approach and avoidance systems, and that approach and avoidance motivation differentially influences creativity. Based on this reasoning, we predict that propensity for approach-based psychopathologies (e.g., positive schizotypy and risk of bipolar disorder) associates with increased creativity, whereas propensity for avoidance-based psychopathologies (e.g., anxiety, negative schizotypy, and depressive mood) associates with reduced creativity. Previous meta-analyses resonate with this proposition and showed small positive relations between positive schizotypy and creativity and small negative relations between negative schizotypy and creativity and between anxiety and creativity. To this we add new meta-analytic findings showing that risk of bipolar disorder (e.g., hypomania, mania) positively associates with creativity (k = 28, r = .224), whereas depressive mood negatively associates (albeit weakly) with creativity (k = 39, r = -.064). Our theoretical framework, along with the meta-analytic results, indicates when and why specific psychopathologies, and their inclinations, associate with increased or, instead, reduced creativity.

AB - Although many believe that creativity associates with a vulnerability to psychopathology, research findings are inconsistent. Here we address this possible linkage between risk of psychopathology and creativity in nonclinical samples. We propose that propensity for specific psychopathologies can be linked to basic motivational approach and avoidance systems, and that approach and avoidance motivation differentially influences creativity. Based on this reasoning, we predict that propensity for approach-based psychopathologies (e.g., positive schizotypy and risk of bipolar disorder) associates with increased creativity, whereas propensity for avoidance-based psychopathologies (e.g., anxiety, negative schizotypy, and depressive mood) associates with reduced creativity. Previous meta-analyses resonate with this proposition and showed small positive relations between positive schizotypy and creativity and small negative relations between negative schizotypy and creativity and between anxiety and creativity. To this we add new meta-analytic findings showing that risk of bipolar disorder (e.g., hypomania, mania) positively associates with creativity (k = 28, r = .224), whereas depressive mood negatively associates (albeit weakly) with creativity (k = 39, r = -.064). Our theoretical framework, along with the meta-analytic results, indicates when and why specific psychopathologies, and their inclinations, associate with increased or, instead, reduced creativity.

KW - psychopathology

KW - creativity

KW - mental disorder

KW - motivation

KW - dopamine

KW - ATTENTION-DEFICIT/HYPERACTIVITY DISORDER

KW - OBSESSIVE-COMPULSIVE DISORDER

KW - HYPOMANIC PERSONALITY SCALE

KW - SELF-REFLECTIVE RUMINATION

KW - BIPOLAR SPECTRUM DISORDERS

KW - COMMON MENTAL-DISORDERS

KW - VERBAL FLUENCY

KW - AFFECTIVE TEMPERAMENTS

KW - COGNITIVE FLEXIBILITY

KW - BEHAVIORAL-INHIBITION

U2 - 10.1037/bul0000049

DO - 10.1037/bul0000049

M3 - Article

C2 - 26950008

SN - 0033-2909

VL - 142

SP - 668

EP - 692

JO - Psychological Bulletin

JF - Psychological Bulletin

IS - 6

ER -

Baas M, Nijstad BA, Boot NC, De Dreu CKW. Mad Genius Revisited: Vulnerability to Psychopathology, Biobehavioral Approach-Avoidance, and Creativity. Psychological Bulletin. 2016 Jun;142(6):668-692. doi: 10.1037/bul0000049