Read this thought provoking study about how people who have to move to, and live in a different country and experience a different culture become more creative. It’s almost as if something clicks within them and they view the world, and problems they encounter, in a different, more creative way.
The study showed that it wasn’t just travelling abroad but living abroad that made the difference. To me, this implies that it’s the forced nature of new experiences and the fact that new languages, new cultural aspects must be learned that helps trigger the increase in creativity.
Though in some ways it looks like the study might not be structured in the best way, nevertheless, I have the following observations and questions.
- Countries, like the USA, who have a large population of immigrants that come in and adjust and become part of the culture at large, should, in theory, have a great resource of ‘extra’-creative people. In some ways, the growth of small business in the US brought about by folks who are following the “American Dream” could be proof of this.
- If immigrants don’t try and learn the language of the main country they live and learn its culture, will they get that creative boost? I would say probably not.
- Are children of the immigrants, who often learn both their parents’ and their birth country’s language and culture, getting the creative boost? I would say ‘yes’.
- What happens when people must live in multiple, markedly different countries? Do these people get a new boost in every country they live in?
- Can just learning a new language well and using it give the boost? Again, I would say probably ‘yes.’
What do you think about this study? Are there other ways that this creativity “boost” might be stimulated?
