Creative liars: The relationship between creativity and integrity

Creativity is typically presented as a constructive activity. Some scholars have proposed the existence of malevolent creativity that has the potential to cause harm, either inadvertently or deliberately. But how do the values and beliefs of creative individuals influence malevolent behavior? In this study participants were given measures of creativity and self-reported integrity and then placed in a situation that required them to make a choice between delaying when they would receive their reward for participating in the experiment or immediately receiving their reward though the task was not complete. The results reinforce the significant negative link between observable integrity and creativity but also provide a significant negative connection between self-reported integrity and creativity. The implications of these findings challenge the prevailing wisdom of creativity being a benevolent construct.

► Creativity was associated with integrity when measured as both a personality trait and as a behavioral test.
► Results reinforce the significant, negative link between self-reported integrity and creativity.
► Results also add a significant, negative connection between behavioral integrity and creativity.
► Study offers additional support for the existence of malevolent creativity.