Cultural Influence on Creativity:
Exploring the Interactions between
Asian culture (Confucianism)
& Creativity
Kyung Hee Kim, Ph.D.
Eastern Michigan University
Confucianism
•
Confucius (551559 B.C.)
• Major cultural
influence in
China, Korea,
Japan, Vietnam,
Hong Kong,
Singapore, &
Taiwan
Education:
Positive Elements of
Confucian Education
Importance of Education
Funding for Schools
Family Support
Belief in Effort
Respecting Teachers
Teacher-Student Relationships
Centralized School Governance
But!
Creativity in the Classrooms…
The Four Principle of Confucianism
as they relate to Creativity
Importance of
Education
Emphasis on Education
Devaluing Play
Work-Play Dichotomy
Family System
Filial Piety and
Hierarchy
Obedience and
Dependence
Obedience and
Hierarchy
Hierarchical
Relationships
Gender Role Inequality
Gender Role
Expectations
Benevolence
Suppression of
Expression
Self-Effacement
Conformity
Findings
Negative relationship
Older people tend to be more
Confucian
But not for women
Findings
Confucianism that show the strongest
negative relationship with creativity
Obedience and Hierarchy
Gender Inequality
Conformity
Suppression of Expression
Findings
Strongest negative relationships with
the TTCT
Elaboration
Abstractness of Titles
Creative Strengths
More negatively related to the Adaptive
type
Figure 1. Best-fit Model in this Study
Implications
Advancing creative achievement requires
Self-evaluate our environment
Remove environmental blocks to creativity
Obedience and Hierarchy
Gender Inequality
Conformity
Suppression of Expression
kyunghee@uga.edu