Gains and losses in creative personality as perceived by adults across the life span

In this study, we used a life span model to study the subjective perception of creative personality (CP) in emerging, young, middle-aged, and older Hong Kong Chinese adults. We also asked participants to estimate the approximate age by which people develop and lose CP across adulthood. We expected an interesting interplay between internalized age stereotypes and age-related differentiation in beliefs about personality development. Older adults perceived increases in both gains and losses in CP in old age. But they still maintained a similar level of self-perceived CP traits when compared with young participants. Emerging, young, and middle-aged adults were less optimistic about their creativity development into old age. Young adults, in contrast to older adults, believed that gains in CP began and ceased at an earlier age. Positive perceptions of CP in one’s aging process may have implications for aging successfully. Copyright © 2013 American Psychological Association.