Executive functions substantially account for the latent intelligence–creativity correlation, leaving a reduced but still positive residual of r = .34.¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · associational r2 · q3
Currency · newest study 2014 · checked against its sources 2026-10-17 (automated, 1 of 1 entry) · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q3 i? Including updating, shifting, and inhibition as predictors reduced the residual Gf–creativity correlation to r = .34 (p = .01), corresponding to a reduction of shared variance by 43%. → Benedek Mathias 2014

Evidence¶

Benedek Mathias 2014¶

Benedek Mathias, Jauk Emanuel, Sommer Markus, Arendasy Martin, Neubauer Aljoscha C. (2014). Intelligence, creativity, and cognitive control: The common and differential involvement of executive functions in intelligence and creativity. Intelligence. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.intell.2014.05.007

q3 · i? · associational · r2

SEM structural model result reported in Section 3.2 of the same study. After regressing both Gf and creativity on the executive factors, the residual correlation was .34 (p = .01); dropping non-significant paths did not worsen fit.

"The residual correlation of Gf and creativity in this model was .34 (p = .01). Dropping the non-significant paths from shifting to Gf and creativity and from inhibition to Gf did not reduce the model fit."

Discussion¶

Learner Variables¶

• Creativity — outcome: instruction changes it
• Executive Function — predictor: learners who differ on it differ in outcomes
• General Cognitive Ability — predictor: learners who differ on it differ in outcomes
• Self-Regulation — predictor: learners who differ on it differ in outcomes

Related Claims¶

• Updating ability, together with openness, explains a substantial part of the shared variance between fluid intelligence and creativity. — possibly the same claim (merge candidate)
• Updating ability strongly predicts fluid intelligence, while shifting and inhibition do not significantly predict it. — related
• Creativity (divergent thinking ability) is predicted by both updating and inhibition, but not by shifting ability. — related
• Openness to experience predicts creativity but not fluid intelligence, and further reduces the residual intelligence–creativity correlation to a trend. — related
• After controlling for children's level of intelligence, only shifting and inhibition make a significant contribution to creativity — related
• Creative and conventional metaphors are anchored in different patterns of cognitive abilities — related
• Men scored higher than women on rated divergent thinking creativity in this sample, with no sex differences in fluid intelligence or the executive functions. — related
• Fluid intelligence strongly predicts the creative quality of produced metaphors (β = .45) — related
• Executive functions and intelligence play an important role in creative thinking, but the relationship in children had been under-studied — related
• Intelligence and creativity share more variance than the traditional assumption of distinct abilities holds — possibly the same claim (merge candidate)
• Cognitive resources play a dual role in SR, both enabling self-regulatory processes and constraining how Learning Activities unfold — related