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.