Taking the focus away from the self: low individualism mediates the effect of oxytocin on creativity

摘要

Recently, it has been shown that the hormone oxytocin can enable creative cognition. The aim\udof this investigation was to examine the psychological mechanism via which oxytocin\udinfluences creativity. Two opposing explanatory approaches suggested by previous research\udwere investigated: It was predicted that the effect of oxytocin on creativity would be\uddetermined by low versus high individualism, especially in people with low levels of anxiety.\udParticipants filled out an anxiety questionnaire and intranasally administered oxytocin or a\udplacebo. After a 40-min waiting period, they performed a creativity task and indicated their\udlevel of individualism. Participants with low levels of anxiety showed heightened creative\udpotential under oxytocin, and this relationship was mediated by low individualism. The results\udcould not be explained by changes in the participants’ affective state. The findings underscore\udthe moderating role of dispositional factors and reveal an important factor to understand the\udrole of oxytocin in human behavior.