Schizotypy and Creativity: Divergent Thinking, Inhibitory Control, and the Spontaneous Flow of Thought

Schizotypy may be associated with heightened creativity, but the exact relationship between schizotypal traits and creative divergent thinking remains unclear. Unlike previous research, which predominantly focused on students, this study (n = 213) explored the relationship between schizotypy and divergent thinking in the Alternate Uses Task across a wider age range (from 18 to 78 years, M = 42.8). Schizotypy was measured using the shortened O-LIFE scale. To examine moderating factors, inhibitory control was assessed with a Go/NoGo task, and the spontaneous flow of associative thinking was measured with a Forward Flow task. Impulsive Nonconformity was particularly associated with enhanced creativity and originality in divergent thinking, while negative schizotypy had a detrimental effect. Impulsive Nonconformity was especially influential in fostering creativity when combined with reduced inhibitory control or distant associations, aligning with theories that propose creative ideation stems from combining distantly related ideas, because reduced inhibition and distant associations may broaden access to a wider range of information. Conversely, negative schizotypy diminished originality, possibly due to reduced motivation and fluency, coupled with decreased inhibition. These results underscore the complexity of the interaction between inhibition, associative thinking, and creativity, indicating that cognitive resources and processing strategies play critical roles.