Competitive mindsets, creativity, and the role of regulatory focus

• We examined how regulatory focus and intentions to compete rather than cooperate with group members relate to creativity.
• Study 1 showed that a prevention focus was associated with a competitive mindset and less creativity.
• Study 2 found that prevention focus carried the indirect negative effect of competitive mindsets on creativity.
• The cooperative mindset group showed more global processing than the competitive mindset group.
• Teaching for creativity may be difficult in competitive group settings.

We examined how regulatory focus and intentions to compete rather than cooperate with group members relate to creativity. Study 1 showed that a promotion focus (i.e., a focus on ideals) activated a cooperative mindset, whereas a prevention focus (i.e., a focus on responsibilities) activated a competitive mindset. Whereas mindsets had no direct effect on creativity, a prevention focus was found to diminish subsequent creativity. Study 2 showed that a cooperative mindset activated a promotion focus, whereas a competitive mindset activated a prevention focus. Prevention focus carried the indirect negative effect of competitive mindsets on creativity. In addition, we tested whether global versus local information processing may explain these effects.