Does Creativity Have a Genius Bias?

Implicit beliefs about creativity can play a critical role in shaping how people choose to engage in creative activities. Although studies have assessed perceptions of the Four C’s of creativity, there has not been much work on whether people appreciate and value smaller, mini-c contributions versus Big-C genius-level creativity, which is treated as the primary standard. The present study examined whether laypersons exhibit a “genius bias,” or a strong preference for Big-C over mini-c creativity. Participants (N = 812) from India, China, and the U.S. classified artwork belonging to the two levels of creativity as either creative or mundane on an implicit association test (IAT). Using both IATs and explicit bias ratings, results revealed consistent preferences for and associations with creativity and Big-C contributions, as opposed to mini-c. However, discrepancies emerged depending on measurement (e.g., evaluation of paintings, endorsement of statements, and implicit tests). Gender, education, and culture also played specific roles in people’s preference for genius-level creative work, with men, people with more education, and people from Eastern cultures being more likely to show a preference for Big-C. Limitations and suggestions for future work are discussed.