Is task autonomy beneficial for creativity? Prior task experience and self-control as boundary conditions

In this study I elaborate on the autonomy–creativity relationship by identifying potential boundary conditions. Specifically, I hypothesized that when task autonomy is provided people’s reactions are shaped by the level of their prior experience or skills and by whether or not they have previously worked on a task autonomously. I further hypothesized that self-control would moderate the autonomy–creativity link. The analysis of data collected from 148 individuals who completed 2 sets of creativity tasks under different task conditions revealed that task autonomy reduces creative performance when there is no prior task-relevant experience. Individuals with high self-control showed similar levels of creativity regardless of the level of task autonomy. In contrast, those with low self-control performed more creatively under a no autonomy condition than under an autonomy condition. My findings highlight the need for considering various boundary conditions when considering changes in the effects of task autonomy on creativity.