ERIC Number: EJ1454924
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2024-Dec
Pages: 22
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0022-0175
EISSN: EISSN-2162-6057
Are Bilinguals More Creative than Monolinguals? A Meta-Analysis
Journal of Creative Behavior, v58 n4 p755-776 2024
This study synthesizes quantitative research on the relationship between creativity and bilingualism. Extant literature underlines the role of developmental, cognitive, and socio-cultural factors to explain the nature of the relationship between creativity and bilingualism. While decades of research frequently indicate a positive link, contrary or mixed evidence has also been documented, necessitating a comprehensive analysis of existing quantitative data to understand the direction and strength of this relationship. Additionally, identifying factors contributing to inconsistent outcomes is crucial. Thus, we estimated the mean effects and examined various potential sources of variation, including study and participant characteristics, as well as measurement and bilingualism-related factors, to shed light into the heterogeneity. Addressing these objectives, we analyzed 312 effect sizes from 39 studies (N = 4,917) and found a mean effect size of Pearson r = 0.181, 95% CI [0.096, 0.263]. This finding shows that bilinguals are overall more creative than monolinguals. Furthermore, a significant difference was observed in the mean effects between test modality categories, with studies using numerical modality reporting significantly larger effect sizes compared to those using action/movement modality. We discuss the findings with research and practical implications.
Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2191/en-us
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Information Analyses
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A