Creativity and Cross‐cultural Variation

Is the nature of creativity essentially the same around the globe? The effect of cultural factors on creativity is reviewed. Distinct Western and Oriental perspectives on the definition of creativity and the creative process are described. Culture is also shown to channel creative activity by promoting certain domains, social groups, and characteristic ways of approaching the world. The effects of world‐view and pressure for conformity are then presented as cultural features that relate to the nurturance of creativity across domains. The cultural variation described is supported by ethnographic and experimental evidence. Limitations on the scope of the review and methodological issues in cross‐cultural research on creativity are also discussed. The effects of culture on creativity are understood within an interactive framework that incorporates both the person and the environment.