The combined effects of relationship conflict and the relational self on creativity

•We show that relationship conflict combined with the relational self has a positive effect on creativity.•Likewise, process conflict combined with the independent self has a beneficial effect on creativity.•We reveal that cognitive persistence mediates theses effects.•We advise managers to utilize such conflict to boost employee creativity.

Studies have consistently found that relationship conflict adversely affects work outcomes, prompting the conclusion that such conflict should be avoided. Challenging this established finding, we propose that relationship conflict has a positive effect on creativity when the relational self is salient. Specifically, we hypothesize that relational selves’ relationship-focused goal may be frustrated within a conflictual (vs. harmonious) relationship situation, triggering cognitive persistence that boosts their creativity by causing them to think in more depth and detail about their conflict. Data from the US (Experiment 1) and Korea (Experiment 2) supported our hypotheses. A subsequent study extended these findings to process conflict (Experiment 3). Our research highlights the overall finding that frustration of goals that are meaningful for individuals promotes their creativity through the mediation of cognitive persistence.