A good mood can encourage creativity

Scientists from the Mary Frances Early College of Education have found that emotions influence creativity more strongly than personality traits. The results show that a good mood today makes a person more creative not only now, but also tomorrow.

“When people feel happy, they are more likely to create new things. Conversely, creativity itself enhances positive emotions,” says Sakhavat Mammadov, the head of the study, associate professor of the Department of Educational Psychology.

The study lasted for several weeks: more than 100 students kept daily diaries where they noted their mood and activities. The analysis showed that a sense of satisfaction and independence encourages creativity, whether it’s a poem, a new melody, or an attempt to cook an original dish.

Interestingly, even stress and limitations sometimes stimulate creativity: if a person feels pressured by circumstances, they can seek a way out through creative self—expression, such as drawing or reading.

They also found that neither intelligence nor bad mood reduce the level of creativity. Even if a person is angry or sad, it doesn’t stop them from creating.

The main conclusion of the study is simple: creativity can be developed by creating a supportive atmosphere around oneself. “We can’t always control emotions,” Mammadov notes. — But we can create an environment where there is warmth, understanding and a sense of freedom. It is in such conditions that new ideas are born.”