The Influence of Affects on Creativity : What Do We Know by Now?

Research and practice have proved the importance of creativity in innovation management. Thereby, individual creativity can be influenced by many determinants. Affective states seem to be a decisive aspect in this context, influencing individual behaviour and thinking. The aim of the present paper is therefore to investigate the influence of affective states on creativity. For this purpose, a systematic literature review was conducted to explore the current state of research in this field. We identified 16 articles in peer-reviewed academic journals that were published from 2005-2015. Objects of interest of this review are positive and negative affective states that comprise moods as well as emotions. We examine the underlying theories, methodology, study design, and research findings of the relevant articles. Moreover, we identify inconsistent findings and still-existing research gaps. Our review shows that research found an influence of both negative and positive affective states on individual creativity. While the influence of positive affective states on creativity is still the most prominent aspect in this field of research, theories incorporating interaction effects have raised attraction. However, studies regarding the influence of negative affect on creativity are underrepresented and ambiguous. Lastly, this systematic literature review provides a useful synopsis to distribute research efforts appropriately within the next decade