Socio‐Economic Status and Creativity: A Meta‐Analysis

The Journal of Creative Behavior, vol. 57, pp. 138–172

Abstract

ABSTRACT In the present study, we examined the relationship between socio‐economic status (SES) and creativity through a meta‐analysis of 885 effect sizes from 151 samples in 117 studies. Analyses of a multivariate model with a robust variance estimator showed a small positive correlation between creativity and SES (r = .120, 95% CI [0.086, 0.154]). Further analyses with four groups of moderators (i.e., creativity measure, SES indicator, sample characteristics, and study characteristics) indicated that the mean effect size is significantly higher when the creativity index is flexibility rather than fluency or when SES is measured by parental or one's own level of education and parental occupation rather than the location of residency. In addition, the relationship between creativity and SES dissipated as the students progressed from elementary school through college. The potential role of schooling in the creativity‐SES link is discussed.

Authors 5

1. Selçuk Acar corresponding

   University of North Texas

   Affiliation as printed

   University of North Texas

2. Harun Tadık

   University of Georgia

   Affiliation as printed

   University of Georgia

3. Recep Uysal Aachen

   Leiden University

   Affiliation as printed

   Leiden University

4. Danielle Myers
   Affiliation as printed

   Independent Researcher

5. Betul Inetas
   Affiliation as printed

   Independent Researcher