Growing up, creativity is usually encouraged in school. In fact, at Hofstra, there is even a course named “Creativity.” In the wake of a major cheating scandal right next door to the University, a new study might have you thinking twice about flaunting your creativity in certain ways.
The recent investigation of a number of students from North Shore schools who face up to four years in prison for a SAT cheating ring hit the news at about the same time as a study that looks at cheating in an entirely new way. The recent study, published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology investigates the way in which creative people “think outside the box” – even when it comes to test taking. The research shows creative people might apply their envious characteristic to their ethics as well as their personality.
The researchers tested groups of about 100 people each, with each group involved in one of five experiments. The people in each group were given tests to determine their creative thinking and intelligence, and then given lab tasks designed to make cheating easy. The research concluded cheating behavior was more prevalent with the people who scored high in creativity.
The experiments were designed in a way to make the dishonest behavior the cheaters took part in seem subtle. This is precisely the type of behavior creative cheaters are prone to be involved in. In other words, the cheaters were able to convince themselves in some way they were not cheating – even though they obviously were. The type of thinking it takes to fabricate a loop-hole in the system in order for your conscious to feel at ease requires creative thinkers.
The study concludes imaginative individuals might have harder time doing the right thing when faced with ethical dilemmas. Even though in this one study creativity seems like a negative personality trait, creativity should not be shunned altogether. If you consider yourself a innovative person, make a conscious effort to apply your creativity only at appropriate times.
If faced with a hard decision between doing what you think is the “right” thing and the “wrong” thing, be aware of how long you have to ponder it in your mind. Chances are, if you have to think about it for a long time, you are most likely fabricating a reason why the “wrong” thing becomes the “right” thing in your mind. All of us can probably remember a time when faced with a hard ethical decision, which is why it is important to separate your ethical thinking from your creative thinking. Often times, these two do not mix, and part of the difficulty of making a good decision is deciding which part of your personality to listen to.
Creativity will always be admired – it is one of the greatest ways to express yourself and make you one-of-a-kind. Do not feel like you have to hide your creativity anywhere, even at school, but do realize thinking outside the box is not always the best answer – especially while taking a test.