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Who is the innovator? How do life-history, demographics, risk-taking propensity, and attention deficit and hyperactivity symptoms correlate with self-perceived innovativeness

Year: 2024

Type: article

Abstract: Outlining the profile of individuals more receptive to novel behaviors or ideas within a social system is crucial for understanding cultural change. In the pursuit of understanding innovativeness as a personality trait, efforts have produced a short self-report scale that yields an innovativeness score composed of two factors: ‘willingness to try new things’ and ‘creativity or originality.’ This study examines how self-reported measures of life-history, demographics, risk-taking propensity and attention deficit and hyperactivity signs/symptoms are associated with self-perceived innovativeness. Our findings indicate that the characteristics defining an innovator profile — that is, those reporting higher levels of self-perceived innovativeness —include age, which positively predicts innovativeness among individuals aged 18 to 50, being female (sex assigned at birth), identifying as non-binary, having fewer siblings and children, and being in a committed relationship (rather than single). Moreover, higher propensity for self-reported social and recreational risk-taking, and a low propensity for ethical risk-taking, is associated to higher self-perceived innovativeness. Lastly, self-reported inattentiveness is negatively associated with self-perceived innovativeness. • Studying innovation allows us to better understand cultural change. • We explored variables relevant to innovativeness through self-report measures. • Female, non-binary and younger individuals reported higher innovation scores. • Social and recreational risk-taking were positively associated with innovativeness. • Inattentiveness was negatively associated with innovativeness.

Source: Personality and Individual Differences

DOI: 10.1016/j.paid.2024.112935

Authors: Joel C. Hernández-Méndez, Rosa Elena Ulloa, Marcos Rosetti

Institutions: Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatría Ramón de la Fuente Muñiz, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Hospital Psiquiatrico Infantil Juan N Navarro

Language: English

Topic: Creativity in Education and Neuroscience

Subfield: Experimental and Cognitive Psychology

Field: Psychology

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,510