Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Curiosity may have killed the cat but it has the power to improve employee creativity

  • Published:
Current Psychology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Curiosity motivates human inquisitiveness, teaches us new things, and encourages us to be open to new forms of creativity. The probing nature of a curious mind is often believed to enhance an individual's ability to generate new ideas and enhance creativity. Based on Self-determination theory, we examine the effect of work curiosity on employee creativity. Further, we studied the mediating role of linking ideas between work curiosity and employee creativity. In this study, mindfulness acts as a moderating variable between work curiosity and employee creativity. To examine the direct effect and the mediation purpose was used model 4 and for moderation we used model 1 from Process Hayes. The results shows that there is positive association between work curiosity and employee creativity and linking ideas mediates the relation. Mindfulness moderates the relation between work curiosity and employee creativity. Future research implications are discussed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

Data availability

Subject to third party restrictions.

References

  • Agnoli, S., Vanucci, M., Pelagatti, C., & Corazza, G. E. (2018). Exploring the link between mind wandering, mindfulness, and creativity: A multidimensional approach. Creativity Research Journal, 30(1), 41–53.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Amabile, T. M. (1982). Social psychology of creativity: A consensual assessment technique. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 43(5), 997–1013. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.43.5.997

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Amabile, T. M. (1997). Motivating creativity in organisations: On doing what you love and loving what you do. California Management Review, 40(1), 39–58.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Amabile, T. M., & Pratt, M. G. (2016). The dynamic componential model of creativity and innovation in organisations: Making progress, making meaning. Research in Organisational Behavior, 36, 157–183.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Anderson, N., Potočnik, K., & Zhou, J. (2014). Innovation and creativity in organisations: A state-of-the-science review, prospective commentary, and guiding framework. Journal of Management, 40(5), 1297–1333.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Baas, M., Nevicka, B., & Ten Velden, F. S. (2014). Specific mindfulness skills differentially predict creative performance. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 40(9), 1092–1106.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Babalola, S., Oyenubi, O., Speizer, I. S., Cobb, L., Akiode, A., & Odeku, M. (2017). Factors affecting the achievement of fertility intentions in urban Nigeria: Analysis of longitudinal data. BMC Public Health, 17(1), 1–8.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barrick, M. R., Thurgood, G. R., Smith, T. A., & Courtright, S. H. (2015). Collective organisational engagement: Linking motivational antecedents, strategic implementation, and firm performance. Academy of Management Journal, 58(1), 111–135.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Berlyne, D. E. (1954). A theory of human curiosity. British Journal of Psychology. General Section, 45(3), 180–191.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Berlyne, D. E. (1960). Conflict, arousal, and curiosity.

  • Bernerth, J. B., & Aguinis, H. (2016). A critical review and best-practice recommendations for control variable usage. Personnel Psychology, 69(1), 229–283.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bishop, S. R., Lau, M., Shapiro, S., Anderson, N., Carlson, L., Segal, Z. V., et al. (2004). Mindfulness: A proposed operational definition. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 11, 230–241.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brown, C. G. (2016). Can “secular” mindfulness be separated from religion?. In Handbook of mindfulness (pp. 75–94). Springer, Cham.

  • Brown, K. W., & Ryan, R. M. (2003). The benefits of being present: Mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 84, 822–848.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Buhrmester, M., Kwang, T., & Gosling, S. D. (2011). Amazon’s Mechanical Turk a new source of inexpensive, yet high-quality, data? Perspectives on Psychological Science, 6(1), 3–5. https://doi.org/10.1177/1745691610393980

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Burda, Y., Edwards, H., Pathak, D., Storkey, A., Darrell, T., & Efros, A. A. (2018). Large-scale study of curiosity-driven learning. arXiv preprint arXiv:1808.04355.

  • Burk, C. L., & Wiese, B. S. (2018). Professor or manager? A model of motivational orientations applied to preferred career paths. Journal of Research in Personality, 75, 113–132. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrp.2018.06.002

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Carlson, K. D., & Wu, J. (2012). The illusion of statistical control: Control variable practice in management research. Organisational Research Methods, 15(3), 413–435.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Celik, P., Storme, M., Davila, A., & Myszkowski, N. (2016). Work-related curiosity positively predicts employees innovation. Journal of Management Development, 35, 1184–1194. https://doi.org/10.1108/JMD-01-2016-0013

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cerasoli, C. P., Nicklin, J. M., & Ford, M. T. (2014). Intrinsic motivation and extrinsic incentives jointly predict performance: A 40-year meta-analysis. Psychological Bulletin, 140(4), 980–1008.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Chang, Y. Y., & Shih, H. Y. (2019). Work curiosity: A new lens for understanding employee creativity. Human Resource Management Review, 29(4), 100672.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chin, W. W., Thatcher, J. B., & Wright, R. T. (2012). Assessing common method bias: Problems with the ULMC technique. MIS Quarterly, 1003–1019.

  • Chua, R. Y. J. (2013). The costs of ambient cultural disharmony: Indirect intercultural conflicts in social environment undermine creativity. Academy of Management Journal, 56(6), 1545–1577. https://doi.org/10.5465/amj.2011.0971

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1997). Creativity: Flow and the psychology of discovery and invention. Harper Perennial.

    Google Scholar 

  • Darvishmotevali, M., Altinay, L., & Köseoglu, M. A. (2020). The link between environmental uncertainty, organisational agility, and organisational creativity in the hotel industry. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 87, 102499.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Deci, E. L. (1975). Intrinsic motivation. New York: Plenum Publishing Corp.

  • Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (1985). The general causality orientations scale: Self-determination in personality. Journal of Research in Personality, 19(2), 109–134.

  • Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (2000). The" what" and" why" of goal pursuits: Human needs and the self-determination of behavior. Psychological Inquiry, 11(4), 227–268.

  • Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (2012). Self-determination theory.

  • Deci, E. L., Olafsen, A. H., & Ryan, R. M. (2017). Self-determination theory in work organisations: The state of a science. Annual Review of Organisational Psychology and Organisational Behavior, 4, 19–43.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Desmichel, P., Ordabayeva, N., & Kocher, B. (2020). What if diamonds did not last forever? Signaling status achievement through ephemeral versus iconic luxury goods. Organisational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 158, 49–65. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.obhdp.2020.01.002

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Doo, M. Y., Zhu, M., Bonk, C. J., & Tang, Y. (2020). The effects of openness, altruism and instructional self-efficacy on work engagement of MOOC instructors. British Journal of Educational Technology, 51(3), 743–760.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dormann, C., & Griffin, M. A. (2015). Optimal time lags in panel studies. Psychological Methods, 20(4), 489.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Dubey, R., & Griffiths, T. L. (2020). Reconciling novelty and complexity through a rational analysis of curiosity. Psychological Review, 127(3), 455.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fornell, C., & Larcker, D. F. (1981). Structural equation models with unobservable variables and measurement error: Algebra and statistics.

  • Galinsky, A. D., Magee, J. C., Gruenfeld, D. H., Whitson, J. A., & Liljenquist, K. A. (2008). Power reduces the press of the situation: Implications for creativity, conformity, and dissonance. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 95(6), 1450–1466.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gip, H., The Khoa, D., Guchait, P., Fernando Garcia, R., & Pasamehmetoglu, A. (2022). Employee mindfulness and creativity: When emotions and national culture matter. The Service Industries Journal, 42(5–6), 383–411.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gong, Y., Huang, J.-C., & Farh, J.-L. (2009). Employee learning orientation, transformation leadership leadership, and employee creativity: The mediating role of employee creative self-efficacy. Academy of Management Journal, 52, 765–778.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Grant, A. M., & Berry, J. W. (2011). The necessity of others is the mother of invention. Academy of Management Journal, 54(1), 73–96. https://doi.org/10.5465/AMJ.2011.59215085

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gross, M. E., Zedelius, C. M., & Schooler, J. W. (2020). Cultivating an understanding of curiosity as a seed for creativity. Current Opinion in Behavioral Sciences, 35, 77–82.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Grossnickle, E. M. (2016). Disentangling curiosity: Dimensionality, definitions, and distinctions from interest in educational contexts. Educational Psychology Review, 28(1), 23–60. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-014-9294-y

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Guilford, J. P. (1968). Intelligence, creativity, and their educational implications. Knapp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hagtvedt, L. P., Dossinger, K., Harrison, S. H., & Huang, L. (2019). Curiosity made the cat more creative: Specific curiosity as a driver of creativity. Organisational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 150, 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.obhdp.2018.10.007

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hamilton, D. (2019). Developing and testing inhibitors of curiosity in the workplace with the curiosity code index (CCI). Heliyon, 5(1), e01185. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2019.e01185

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Hardy, J. H., Ness, A. M., & Mecca, J. (2017). Outside the box: Epistemic curiosity as a predictor of creative problem solving and creative performance. Personality and Individual Differences, 104, 230–237.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Harrison, S. H. (2011). Organising the cat? Generative aspects of curiosity in organisational life. In K. S. Cameron, & G. M. Spreitzer (Eds.). The Oxford handbook of positive organisational scholarship (pp. 110–124). (1st ed.). Oxford University Press.

  • Harrison, S. H. (2016). Fueling, curating, connecting and fascinating: Why and how creativity provokes curiosity. In M. Škerlavaj, M. Černe, & A. Dysvik (Eds.), Capitalising on creativity at work: Fostering the implementation of creative ideas in organisations (pp. 76–85). Edward Elgar Publishing Limited.

    Google Scholar 

  • Harrison, S. H., & Dossinger, K. (2017). Pliable guidance: A multilevel model of curiosity, feedback seeking, and feedback giving in creative work. Academy of Management Journal, 60, 2051–2072. https://doi.org/10.5465/amj.2015.0247

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Harrison, S. H., & Rouse, E. D. (2014). Let’s dance! Elastic coordination in creative group work: A qualitative study of modern dancers. Academy of Management Journal, 57(5), 1256–1283.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Harrison, S. H., Sluss, D. M., & Ashforth, B. E. (2011). Curiosity adapted the cat: The role of trait curiosity in newcomer adaptation. Journal of Applied Psychology, 96(1), 211.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Harvey, M., Novicevic, M., Leonard, N., & Payne, D. (2007). The role of curiosity in global managers’ decision-making. Journal of Leadership & Organizational Studies, 13(3), 43–58. https://doi.org/10.1177/10717919070130030401

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • He, P., Peng, Z., Zhao, H., & Estay, C. (2019). How and when compulsory citizenship behavior leads to employee silence: A moderated mediation model based on moral disengagement and supervisor–subordinate Guanxi views. Journal of Business Ethics, 155(1), 259–274.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Henriksen, D., Richardson, C., & Shack, K. (2020). Mindfulness and creativity: Implications for thinking and learning. Thinking Skills and Creativity, 100689.

  • Henseler, J., Ringle, C. M., & Sarstedt, M. (2015). A new criterion for assessing discriminant validity in variance-based structural equation modeling. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 43(1), 115–135.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hibbert, P., Siedlok, F., & Beech, N. (2016). The role of interpretation in learning practices in the context of collaboration. Academy of Management Learning and Education, 15, 26–44. https://doi.org/10.5465/amle.2014.0004

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Huang, K., Yeomans, M. B., Brooks, A. W., Minson, J., & Gino, F. (2017). It doesn’t hurt to ask: Question-asking increases liking. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 113, 430–452. https://doi.org/10.1037/pspi0000097

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Huang, Q. (2021). Can curious employees be more innovative? Exploring the mechanism of intrinsic motivation and job autonomy. Psychology, 12(03), 425.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ishaq, E., Bashir, S., Khan, A. K., Hassan, M. M., & Zakariya, R. (2021). Epistemic curiosity and perceived workload: A moderated mediation model of achievement striving and overwork climate. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 32(18), 3888–3911.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Karwowski, M. (2012). Did curiosity kill the cat? Relationship between trait curiosity, creative self-efficacy and creative personal identity. Europe’s Journal of Psychology, 8(4), 547–558.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kashdan, T. B. (2015). Companies value curiosity but stifle it anyway. Harvard Business Review (October 2015).

  • Kashdan, T. B., & Fincham, F. D. (2002). Facilitating creativity by regulating curiosity. Comment. American Psychologist, 57, 373–374. https://doi.org/10.1037//0003066X.57.5.373

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kashdan, T. B., & Silvia, P. J. (2009). Curiosity and interest: The benefits of thriving on novelty and challenge. Oxford Handbook of Positive Psychology, 2, 367–374. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780195187243.013.003

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kashdan, T. B., Afram, A., Brown, K. W., Birnbeck, M., & Drvoshanov, M. (2011). Curiosity enhances the role of mindfulness in reducing defensive responses to existential threat. Personality and Individual Differences, 50(8), 1227–1232.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kashdan, T. B., DeWall, C. N., Pond, R. S., Silvia, P. J., Lambert, N. M., Fincham, F. D., & Keller, P. S. (2013). Curiosity protects against interpersonal aggression: Cross‐sectional, daily process, and behavioral evidence. Journal of Personality, 81(1), 87–102.

  • Kashdan, T. B., Gallagher, M. W., Silvia, P. J., Winterstein, B. P., Breen, W. E., Terhar, D., & Steger, M. F. (2009). The curiosity and exploration inventory-II: Development, factor structure, and psychometrics. Journal of Research in Personality, 43(6), 987–998.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Kashdan, T. B., Goodman, F. R., Disabato, D. J., McKnight, P. E., Kelso, K., & Naughton, C. (2020). Curiosity has comprehensive benefits in the workplace: Developing and validating a multidimensional work curiosity scale in United States and German employees. Personality and Individual Differences, 155, 109717. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2019.109717

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kashdan, T. B., Stiksma, M. C., Disabato, D. J., McKnight, P. E., Bekier, J., Kaji, J., & Lazarus, R. (2018). The five-dimensional curiosity scale: Capturing the bandwidth of curiosity and identifying four unique subgroups of curious people. Journal of Research in Personality, 73, 130–149.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kerr, N. L., & Tindale, R. S. (2004). Group performance and decision making. Annual Review of Psychology, 55, 623–655.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Khan, J., Saeed, I., Ali, A., & Nisar, H. G. (2021). The Mediating role of emotional exhaustion in the relationship between abusive supervision and employee cyberloafing behaviour. Journal of Management and Research, 8(1), 160–178.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kobayashi, K., Ravaioli, S., Baranès, A., Woodford, M., & Gottlieb, J. (2019). Diverse motives for human curiosity. Nature Human Behaviour, 3(6), 587–595.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kock, F., Berbekova, A., & Assaf, A. G. (2021). Understanding and managing the threat of common method bias: Detection, prevention and control. Tourism Management, 86, 104330.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lebuda, I., Zabelina, D. L., & Karwowski, M. (2016). Mind full of ideas: A meta-analysis of the mindfulness–creativity link. Personality and Individual Differences, 93, 22–26.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Li, T., & Yu, G. (2015). Why are humans curious? Concept, functions and theories of interpersonal curiosity. Advances in Psychological Science, 23, 132–141. https://doi.org/10.3724/sp.J.1042.2015.00132

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lievens, F., Harrison, S., Mussel, P., & Litman, J. (2021). Killing the cat? A review of curiosity at work. Academy of Management Annals, (ja).

  • Litman, J. A., & Jimerson, T. L. (2004). The measurement of curiosity as a feeling of deprivation. Journal of Personality Assessment, 82(2), 147–157. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327752jpa8202

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Litman, J. A., Crowson, H. M., & Kolinski, K. (2010). Validity of the interest- and deprivation-type epistemic curiosity distinction in non-students. Personality and Individual Differences, 49(5), 531–536. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2010.05.021

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Litman, J. A., Hutchins, T. L., & Russon, R. K. (2005). Epistemic curiosity, feeling-of knowing

  • Liu, D., Jiang, K., Shalley, C. E., Keem, S., & Zhou, J. (2016). Motivational mechanisms of employee creativity: A meta-analytic examination and theoretical extension of the creativity literature. Organisational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 137, 236–263.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lubart, T. I. (2001). Models of the creative process: Past, present and future. Creativity Research Journal, 13(3–4), 295–308.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Maddux, W. W., & Galinsky, A. D. (2009). Cultural borders and mental barriers: The relationship between living abroad and creativity. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 96(5), 1047–1061. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0014861

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Matyushok, V., Krasavina, V., Berezin, A., & García, J. S. (2021). The global economy in technological transformation conditions: A review of modern trends. Economic Research-Ekonomska Istraživanja, 34(1), 1471–1497.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Millan, M. J. (2022). The epigenetic dimension of Alzheimer's disease: causal, consequence, or curiosity?. Dialogues in clinical neuroscience.

  • Montani, F., Dagenais-Desmarais, V., Giorgi, G., & Grégoire, S. (2018). A conservation of resources perspective on negative affect and innovative work behaviour: The role of affect activation and mindfulness. Journal of Business and Psychology, 33(1), 123–139.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mussel, P., & Spengler, M. (2015). Investigating intellect from a trait activation perspective: Identification of situational moderators for the correlation with work-related criteria. Journal of Research in Personality, 55, 51–60.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nusbaum, E. C., & Silvia, P. J. (2011). Are intelligence and creativity really so different? Fluid intelligence, executive processes, and strategy use in divergent thinking. Intelligence, 39(1), 36–45. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.intell.2010.11.002

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Olafsen, A. H., Deci, E. L., & Halvari, H. (2018). Basic psychological needs and work motivation: A longitudinal test of directionality. Motivation and Emotion, 42(2), 178–189.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Oldham, G. R., & Cummings, A. (1996). Employee creativity: Personal and contextual factors at work. Academy of Management Journal, 39(3), 607–634. https://doi.org/10.2307/256657

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Paulus, P. B., Kohn, N. W., & Arditti, L. E. (2011). Effects of quantity and quality instructions on brainstorming. The Journal of Creative Behavior, 45(1), 38–46.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Perry-Smith, J. E., & Mannucci, P. V. (2017). From creativity to innovation: The social network drivers of the four phases of the idea journey. Academy of Management Review, 42(1), 53–79.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Podsakoff, P. M., MacKenzie, S. B., & Podsakoff, N. P. (2012). Sources of method bias in social science research and recommendations on how to control it. Annual Review of Psychology, 63, 539–569.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Podsakoff, P. M., MacKenzie, S. B., Lee, J. Y., & Podsakoff, N. P. (2003). Common method biases in behavioral research: A critical review of the literature and recommended remedies. Journal of Applied Psychology, 88(5), 879.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Randel, A. E., & Jaussi, K. S. (2019). Giving rise to creative leadership: Contextual enablers and redundancies. Group & Organization Management, 44(2), 288–319.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rau, H. K., & Williams, P. G. (2016). Dispositional mindfulness: A critical review of construct validation research. Personality and Individual Differences, 93, 32–43.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rego, A., Sousa, F., Marques, C., & e Cunha, M. P. (2014). Hope and positive affect mediating the authentic leadership and creativity relationship. Journal of Business Research, 67(2), 200–210.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rigby, C. S., & Ryan, R. M. (2018). Self-determination theory in human resource development: New directions and practical considerations. Advances in Developing Human Resources, 20(2), 133–147.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ryakhovskaya, Y., Jach, H. K., & Smillie, L. D. (2022). Curiosity as feelings of interest versus deprivation: Relations between curiosity traits and affective states when anticipating information. Journal of Research in Personality, 96, 104164.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2020). Intrinsic and extrinsic motivation from a self-determination theory perspective: Definitions, theory, practices, and future directions. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 61, 101860.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ryan, R. M., Deci, E. L., Vansteenkiste, M., & Soenens, B. (2021). Building a science of motivated persons: Self-determination theory’s empirical approach to human experience and the regulation of behavior. Motivation Science, 7(2), 97.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sanka, A. I., Irfan, M., Huang, I., & Cheung, R. C. (2021). A survey of breakthrough in blockchain technology: Adoptions, applications, challenges and future research. Computer Communications, 169, 179–201.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Santandreu, J., Shurden, M. C., & Smith, S. C. (2022). Marketing orientation in a dynamic business environment: The case of small business. The Coastal Business Journal, 6(1), 1.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schutte, N. S., & Malouff, J. M. (2020a). A meta-analysis of the relationship between curiosity and creativity. The Journal of Creative Behavior, 54(4), 940–947.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schutte, N. S., & Malouff, J. M. (2020b). Connections between curiosity, flow and creativity. Personality and Individual Differences, 152, 109555.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schutte, N. S., & Malouff, J. M. (2022). A meta-analytic investigation of the impact of curiosity-enhancing interventions. Current Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-022-03107-w

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schweizer, T. S. (2006). The psychology of novelty-seeking, creativity and innovation: Neurocognitive aspects within a work-psychological perspective. Creativity and Innovation Management, 15(2), 164–172. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8691.2006

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Silvia, P. J. (2006). Exploring the psychology of interest. Oxford University Press.

  • Silvia, P. J., & Kashdan, T. B. (2009). Interesting things and curious people: Exploration and engagement as transient states and enduring strengths. Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 3, 785–797.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Soenens, B., Deci, E. L., & Vansteenkiste, M. (2017). How parents contribute to children's psychological health: The critical role of psychological need support. In Development of self-determination through the life-course (pp. 171–187). Springer, Dordrecht.

  • Steger, M. F., Kashdan, T. B., Sullivan, B. A., & Lorentz, D. (2008). Understanding the search for meaning in life: Personality, cognitive style, and the dynamic between seeking and experiencing meaning. Journal of Personality, 76(2), 199–228.

  • Syed, I., Butler, J. C., Smith, R. M., & Cao, X. (2020). From entrepreneurial passion to entrepreneurial intentions: The role of entrepreneurial passion, innovativeness, and curiosity in driving entrepreneurial intentions. Personality and Individual Differences, 157, 109758.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Unsworth, K. (2001). Unpacking creativity. Academy of Management Review, 26(2), 289–297. https://doi.org/10.2307/259123

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vallerand, R. J., Pelletier, L. G., & Koestner, R. (2008). Reflections on self-determination theory. Canadian Psychology/psychologie Canadienne, 49(3), 257.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wade, S., & Kidd, C. (2019). The role of prior knowledge and curiosity in learning. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 26(4), 1377–1387.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Williams, J. M. G. (2008). Mindfulness, depression and modes of mind. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 32, 721–733.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ye, S., Ng, T. K., Yim, K. H., & Wang, J. (2015). Validation of the curiosity and exploration inventory–II (CEI–II) among Chinese University students in Hong Kong. Journal of Personality Assessment, 97(4), 403–410.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang, X., & Bartol, K. M. (2010). Linking empowering leadership and employee creativity: The influence of psychological empowerment, intrinsic motivation, and creative process engagement. Academy of Management Journal, 53(1), 107–128.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Business School, Henan University, Kaifeng, 475000, China

    Muhammad Zada, Shagufta Zada & Zhang Yong Jun

  2. Department of Business Administration, Iqra National University, Peshawar, Pakistan

    Jawad Khan

  3. Institute of Business and Management Sciences, The University of Agriculture, Peshawar, KPK, Pakistan

    Imran Saeed

  4. Department of Business Administration, Faculty of Management Sciences Ilma University Pakistan, Karachi, Pakistan

    Shagufta Zada

Authors
  1. Muhammad Zada
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Jawad Khan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Imran Saeed
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Shagufta Zada
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Zhang Yong Jun
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Zhang Yong Jun.

Ethics declarations

Institutional review board statement

In line with the Helsinki Declaration of 1964 and its later amendments to the best of our knowledge, all of the research procedures were performed within ethical standards. Formal approval was obtained from the competent authorities of the companies that participated in the study.

Informed consent statement

Not applicable.

Conflicts of interest

The authors declare no competing interests.

Additional information

Publisher's note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Zada, M., Khan, J., Saeed, I. et al. Curiosity may have killed the cat but it has the power to improve employee creativity. Curr Psychol 42, 32299–32313 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-022-04171-y

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-022-04171-y

Keywords

Search

Navigation