Layperson perceptions of malevolent creativity: The good, the bad, and the ambiguous

Can creativity be used for evil (or simply bad or unethical) purposes? Much of the past research on this topic has emphasized how creative people are more likely to engage in socially undesirable or morally unethical behavior. Yet how do laypeople perceive this issue? This study presented 626 participants with 4 hypothetical situations and a total of 43 possible actions varying both in malevolence and creativity. A factor analysis of participant ratings of each action's malevolence revealed 5 levels of perceived malevolence (moral killing, legal, immoral/unethical, illegal/nonviolent, and illegal/violent). The perceived creativity of these actions was nonlinear-actions that were morally complex or ambiguous were seen as being more creative. Refereed/Peer-reviewed