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Fertile Green: Green Facilitates Creative Performance

Lichtenfeld, S.; Elliot, A.J.; Maier, M.A.; Pekrun, R.

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Authors

A.J. Elliot

M.A. Maier

R. Pekrun



Abstract

The present research sought to extend the nascent literature on color and psychological functioning by examining whether perception of the color green facilitates creativity. In four experiments, we demonstrated that a brief glimpse of green prior to a creativity task enhances creative performance. This green effect was observed using both achromatic (white, gray) and chromatic (red, blue) contrast colors that were carefully matched on nonhue properties, and using both picture-based and word-based assessments of creativity. Participants were not aware of the purpose of the experiment, and null effects were obtained on participants’ self-reported mood and positive activation. These findings indicate that green has implications beyond aesthetics and suggest the need for sustained empirical work on the functional meaning of green.

Citation

Lichtenfeld, S., Elliot, A., Maier, M., & Pekrun, R. (2012). Fertile Green: Green Facilitates Creative Performance. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 38(6), 784-797. https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167212436611

Journal Article Type Article
Online Publication Date Mar 16, 2012
Publication Date Jun 1, 2012
Deposit Date Nov 7, 2017
Publicly Available Date Mar 29, 2024
Journal Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin
Print ISSN 0146-1672
Electronic ISSN 1552-7433
Publisher SAGE Publications
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 38
Issue 6
Pages 784-797
DOI https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167212436611

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Copyright Statement
Lichtenfeld, S., Elliot, A.J., Maier, M.A. & Pekrun, R. (2012). Fertile Green: Green Facilitates Creative Performance. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin 38(6): 784-797. Copyright © 2012 by the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, Inc. Reprinted by permission of SAGE Publications.




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