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MIT Professor Jackson Lu and his co-authors have published an interesting new study regarding the impact that intercultural relationships can have on creativity. They conducted a series of studies to explore this relationship. What did they find?
Experimental research showed that dating others from different cultures seemed to have a positive impact on divergent thinking. To build on their experimental studies, the scholars then explored a large dataset of more than 2,000 professional repatriates from many different countries. They found that, "Participants’ frequency of contact with American friends since returning to their home countries positively predicted their workplace innovation and likelihood of becoming entrepreneurs." The scholars go on to conclude that, "Going out with a close friend or romantic partner from a foreign culture can help people 'go out' of the box and into a creative frame of mind."
Past studies have shown similar impacts from travel experiences. Spending substantive amounts of time immersed in other cultures can have a positive impact on creativity. These studies speak to the importance of hearing and learning about others' disparate experiences, breaking out of our normal routines and getting away from our perhaps homogenous work groups, and honing our empathy skills, as important drivers of creativity and innovation.
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