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Not Just How Much You Know: Interactional Effect of Cultural Knowledge and Metacognition on Creativity in a Global Context

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 December 2016

Roy Y. J. Chua  and
Kok Yee Ng
Roy Y. J. Chua*
Affiliation:
Singapore Management University, Singapore
Kok Yee Ng
Affiliation:
Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
*
Corresponding author: Roy Y. J. Chua (royyjchua@smu.edu.sg)
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Abstract

The ability to think and solve problems creatively in a multicultural environment is critical for success in the 21st century. Integrating research on creative cognition and cultural intelligence, we examine the interactional effects of two cognitive capabilities – cultural knowledge and cultural metacognition – on individuals’ creativity in multicultural teams. We propose that although cultural knowledge is useful for creativity, too much knowledge can be detrimental because of cognitive overload and entrenchment. This inverted U-shaped relationship however, is moderated by cultural metacognition. Results of our study support our hypothesis of an inverted U-shape relationship between cultural knowledge and creativity. As expected, we found that the curvilinear effect of cultural knowledge occurs only for individuals with low metacognition. For high cultural metacognition individuals, cultural knowledge has no effect on creativity. These findings offer new insights and practical implications for creativity in today's global environment.

摘要:

摘要:

在多元文化环境中创造性地思考和解决问题的能力对在21世纪成功至关重要。综合对创造性认知和文化智力的研究, 我们调查两种认知能力 — 文化知识和文化元认知 — 对多元文化团队中个体创造力的互动效应。我们提出, 虽然文化知识对创造力有用, 但由于认知超载和固执, 太多的知识可能是不利的。然而, 这种倒U形关系是由文化元认知来调节的。我们研究的结果支持我们对文化知识与创造力之间的倒U形关系的假设。如预期的那样, 我们发现文化知识的曲线效应仅发生在较低元认知的个体身上。对于高文化元认知的个体来说, 文化知识对创造力没有影响。这些发现对当今全球环境中的创造力提供了新见解和实际启示。

इक्कीसवीं सदी के बहुसांस्कृतिक परिवेश में रचनात्मक समस्या समाधान सफलता हेतु महत्वपूर्ण है. रचनात्मक अनुभूति व सांस्कृतिक समझ के शोध को जोड़ते हुए हमने दो अनुभूति क्षमताओं-सांस्कृतिक ज्ञान व सांस्कृतिक वृहद् अनुभूति के बहुसांस्कृतिक सन्दर्भ में व्यक्तिगत रचनात्मकता पर प्रभाव का अध्ययन किया है. हमारा यह मत है की यद्यपि सांस्कृतिक समख रचनात्मकता के लिए उपयोगी है, तथापि अत्यधिक ज्ञान के अनुभूतिक अतिभार व संवर्धन के कारण कुप्रभाव होता है. हालाँकि इस उलटे U-सम सम्बन्ध पर सांस्कृतिक वृहद् अनुभूति नियंत्रक की भूमिका निभाती है. हमारे शोध के परिणाम हमारी सांस्कृतिक समझ व रचनात्मकता के उलटे U-सम सम्बन्ध की अवधारणा की पुष्टि करते हैं. अपेक्षानुसार यह पुष्ट हुआ के सांस्कृतिक समझ का वक्राकार प्रभाव केवल निम्न वृहद् अनुभूति वाले व्यक्तियों के लिए ही है. उच्च वृहद् अनुभूति वाले व्यक्तियों के लिए सांस्कृतिक समझ का रचनात्मकता पर कोई प्रभाव नहीं है. यह परिणाम रचनात्मकता के भूमंडलीय सन्दर्भ में व्यावहारिक निहितार्थ पर प्रकाश डालते हैं.

Sumário:

Sumário:

A capacidade de pensar e resolver problemas criativamente em um ambiente multicultural é fundamental para o sucesso no século XXI. Integrando a pesquisa sobre cognição criativa e inteligência cultural, examinamos os efeitos de interação de duas capacidades cognitivas - conhecimento cultural e metacognição cultural - na criatividade de indivíduos em equipes multiculturais. Propomos que, embora o conhecimento cultural seja útil para a criatividade, um conhecimento excessivo pode ser prejudicial por causa da sobrecarga cognitiva e do entrincheiramento. Esta relação em forma de U invertido, entretanto, é moderada pela metacognição cultural. Os resultados do nosso estudo apoiam a nossa hipótese de uma relação em forma de U invertido entre o conhecimento cultural e a criatividade. Como esperado, descobrimos que o efeito curvilíneo do conhecimento cultural ocorre apenas para indivíduos com baixa metacognição. Para indivíduos com alta metacognição cultural, o conhecimento cultural não tem qualquer efeito sobre a criatividade. Essas descobertas oferecem novos insights e implicações práticas para a criatividade no ambiente global de hoje.

Аннотация:

АННОТАЦИЯ:

Способность мыслить и решать проблемы творчески в мультикультурной среде имеет решающее значение для достижения успеха в 21-м веке. Объединяя исследования в области творческого познания и культурного интеллекта, мы рассматриваем эффекты взаимодействия двух когнитивных способностей – культурного знания и культурного метапознания – которые влияют на индивидуальную креативность в мультикультурных группах. Мы предполагаем, что, хотя культурное знание полезно для творчества, слишком большое количество знаний могут быть пагубными из-за когнитивной перегрузки и нарушений. Это перевернутое U-образное соотношение, однако, регулируется культурным метапознанием. Результаты нашего исследования подтверждают нашу гипотезу о перевернутом U-образном соотношении между культурным знанием и творчеством. Как и предполагалось, мы обнаружили, что нелинейная зависимость от культурного знания существует только у лиц с низким метапознанием. Для лиц с высоким культурным метапознанием, культурное знание не имеет никакого влияния на творчество. Эти результаты дают новые теоретические представления, а также позволяют сделать практические выводы для творчества в современном глобальном контексте.

Resumen:

RESUMEN:

La habilidad para pensar y resolver problemas creativamente en un ambiente multicultural es crítica para el éxito en el siglo XXI. Integrando la investigación en cognición creativa e inteligencia cultural, examinamos los efectos de la interacción de dos capacidades cognitivas – el conocimiento cultural y la meta-cognición cultural- en la creatividad de los individuos en equipos multiculturales. Proponemos que, aunque el conocimiento cultural es útil para la creatividad, demasiados conocimientos pueden ser perjudiciales debido a la carga y el arraigamiento cognitivo. La relación en forma de U invertida, sin embargo, es moderada por la meta-cognición cultural. Los resultados de nuestro estudio confirman nuestra hipótesis de una relación en forma de U invertida entre el conocimiento cultural y la creatividad. Como es esperado, encontramos que el efecto curvilíneo del conocimiento cultural ocurre solamente para individuos con baja meta-cognición. Estos hallazgos ofrecen nuevos aportes e implicaciones prácticas para la creatividad en el entorno global de hoy.

Keywords

creativitycultural intelligencecultural metacognitionknowledgeteams
Type
Articles
Information
Management and Organization Review , Volume 13 , Issue 2 , June 2017 , pp. 281 - 300
Copyright
Copyright © The International Association for Chinese Management Research 2016 

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Footnotes

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