A meta-analysis of the relationship between Zhongyong thinking and creativity: Evidence from China

Although there is a large body of theoretical and empirical research supporting a relationship between Zhongyong thinking and creativity, some studies have found that the association is positive, while others have reported that it is negative. Therefore, we performed a meta-analysis of 18 relevant studies to further clarify this relationship. On the basis of 19 independent effect sizes, the results indicated there was a medium-strength, positive, and significant relationship between Zhongyong thinking and creativity. Moderator analyses suggested that this relationship was stronger in studies in which creativity was self-evaluated than in the studies in which others evaluated the individual’s creativity. The moderating effect of the tools used to measure Zhongyong thinking and publication status were not significant.