Toward a personality integration perspective on creativity: between- and within-persons associations among autonomy, vitality, and everyday creativity

Rooted in self-determination theory and guided by its organismic theorizing on personality integration, the present research examined the association between autonomy and everyday creativity at the levels of individual differences in personality and daily fluctuations in motivation, and whether vitality explains this association. In Studies 1a (N = 203) and 1b (N = 68), participants completed measures of trait autonomy, trait vitality, and everyday creativity via self-ratings and responses to a behavior checklist, respectively. In Study 2 (N = 152), undergraduates completed daily measures of autonomous motivation, state vitality, 'little-c' creativity (self-reported and independently rated), and 'mini-c' creativity. Results of Studies 1a and 1b revealed indirect effects (between-persons) of autonomy on everyday creativity through vitality. Results of Study 2 revealed indirect effects (within-persons) of autonomous motivation on 'little-c' creativity and 'mini-c' creativity through state vitality. This complementary set of findings offers a more refined perspective on personality integration and the development of creativity in daily life.