Understanding the various aspects that contribute to creative behaviour is still limited, despite the growing body of creativity research in recent times. Studying multiple factors simultaneously can offer a more comprehensive insight into understanding the complexities of creative behaviour and thinking. In the research, we investigated how creative behaviour relates to the basic components of cognitive control, more specific inhibition, cognitive flexibility and working memory, and with personality traits, especially openness to experience. In the context of cognitive flexibility, we measured switching and verbal fluency. We examined whether creative behaviour can be predicted with some aspects of cognitive control and openness to experience. There were 371 participants included in the research, from which 226 women and 123 men. As a measure of creative behaviour, we used the Animal test, which primarily measures the conceptual expansion and the aspect of originality. We also applied the Stroop task, the flexible switching task, the verbal fluency task, the verbal working memory task, and the Big Five Questionnaire. Verbal fluency, verbal working memory, and openness to experience were significant predictors of creative behaviour. Inhibitory control of attention, switching and other personality dimensions did not correlate to creative behaviour. The results indicate the diverse importance of different components of cognitive control and personal traits for conceptual expansion, suggesting the meaning of cognitive control and openness to experience for creative behaviour.
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