Wednesday, September 30, 2020 | 4:30pm - 5:30pm | ZOOM

Abstract

The authors propose that an individual’s disposition for perspective taking may be facilitated by creative thinking, which involves a cognitive procedure with shifting angles and generating multiple solutions to a problem. Specifically, engaging in creative thinking in an incidental situation may activate a general procedure of changing perspectives, giving rise to a perspective-shifting mindset, which enhances an individual’s tendency to take the perspective of targets described in a subsequently encountered, unrelated message, and this consequently affects the message’s impact. A pilot study shows that creativity personality is positively correlated with the tendency toward spatial and conceptual perspective taking. In addition, in various persuasive contexts that involve real donations and brand evaluations, the present research demonstrates that participants who adopted creative thinking (vs. control) were more likely to take the perspective of a target described in (a) a charity appeal, and (b) commercial messages. They were more likely to (a) make a donation, (b) evaluate a brand more favorably, and (c) ascribe characteristics of the target to the self. The hypothesized effect is moderated by the nature of the context—whether or not a shift of perspective in processing the message is required.