The controversial relationship between risk-taking and creativity: a systematic review

alongside the concept of risk-taking (RT), the construct of creativity often appears in scientific literature. However, the study of their relationship has been conducted unsystematically, with both theoretical (definition of the constructs) and methodological (different assessment methods) difficulties. Some studies consider risk as a predictor of creativity, while others consider the opposite direction, which often leads to contrasting results. The present systematic review was conducted using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines to systematize results on this topic and investigate reasons for these conflicting results. Fifteen studies were included from an initial N= 1009 (from three scientific databases). Theoretical and methodological considerations that may explain the mixed results have been investigated in depth. They can be summarized as follows: 1) the difficulty in clearly defining the multidimensional constructs of creativity and risk, 2) the heterogeneity of the instruments used in the studies, and 3) the possible effect of cultural differences. Despite this, much of the evidence in the literature has supported the hypothesis that people with lower creative ability tend to avoid risky situations and decisions, preferring the status quo, while people with higher creative skills tend not to flinch from challenging situations. Theoretical, methodological future directions and the practical application of these main findings are discussed.