The Immediate and Sustaining Effects of Music Listening on Creativity in Individuals with High vs. Low Overexcitabilities

The present research aims to understand how creativity is related to the nature and quality of musical exposure through the lens of the arousal-and-mood hypothesis. In achieving this overarching aim, rigorous experimental designs will be employed to achieve a series of specific research objectives that aim to (1) extend the research on the arousal-and-mood hypothesis by applying two standardized creativity tests that captures different aspects of creativity; (2) extend the research on the arousal-and-mood hypothesis by investigating both the immediate and sustaining effects of music listening on creativity; and (3) examine whether the types and the duration of the music effect in creative thinking can be moderated by individual characteristics in relation to emotional reactions towards musical stimuli. The findings derived from the present study will shed important light on the cultivation of creativity, gifted education, and music education.

Funding Source: RGC - Early Career Scheme (ECS)