Are anxious thoughts more original? Effects of trait anxiety on counterfactual divergent thinking

Numerous studies that focused mainly on the influence of emotions and affective states on the creative process have shown how positive affect facilitates creativity (Baas et al., 2008; Friedman & Förster, 2005; Lyubomirsky, King, & Diener, 2005). Evidence on the effect of negative emotions and affect on creativity have been mixed. There is very little consensus on whether negative emotions facilitate or curtail creativity with respect to emotions like nervousness and anxiety; there are studies demonstrating their ill-effects on creativity (Baas, et al., 2020; Charyton et al., 2009) and some providing evidence for its facilitative effects (George & Zhou, 2007; Kaufmann & Vosburg, 2002; Nijstad et al., 2010; Strasbaug & Conelly, 202). In the present study, we are interested in investigating the link between creativity and anxiety. We propose that individuals with higher trait anxiety are likely to think of more ways in which a situation can go wrong compared to those with lower levels of trait anxiety. We assume that individuals with higher trait anxiety are more likely to indulge in excessive counterfactual thinking which then further contributes to the worry and increases distress (Epstude & Roese, 2008). We seek to attain the following objectives through this study: To study the effect of trait anxiety on creative idea generation To understand how higher levels of trait anxiety contribute to counterfactual thinking in a divergent thinking context To examine the relationships between self-reported creativity, trait anxiety, optimism, and creative behaviour on divergent thinking tasks. We also aim to explore the following research questions: Is there a difference in creative performance on a real-world divergent thinking task and a counterfactual divergent thinking task? Does past psychiatric history lead to differences in creative performance on divergent thinking tasks? Does trait anxiety moderate the relationship between past psychiatric history and performance on counterfactual divergent thinking tasks? Does optimism moderate the relationship between past psychiatric history and performance on counterfactual divergent thinking tasks?