Effects of real-world and virtual openness and Internet communication on social creativity: A serial mediation analysis

Abstract

We examined the effect of real-world and virtual openness and Internet communication on social creativity using data from 451 undergraduates in central China. They completed the Big Five Personality Inventory, the Social Creativity Questionnaire, and the Internet Interaction Questionnaire. Results of serial mediation analysis using a bias-corrected bootstrapping approach indicated that openness in real-world situations had a significant direct effect on social creativity. Virtual openness and Internet dependence, in combination, mediated the link between real-world openness and social creativity. Individuals' use of the Internet directly affected their personality and communication. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.