Happy extroverts ‘more creative’

LONDON - When it comes to creativity, outgoing people in a good mood are better than introverts, according to a new study.

Lorenzo Stafford, University of Portsmouth psychologist, found that extrovert people in a good mood are the most creative thinkers because they have more of the ‘happiness chemical’ dopamine.

However, people who keep themselves to themselves are not creative whether they are in a good or neutral mood.

Stafford said his results showed personality and mood play a significant role in creativity.

“The more outgoing a person is, the more active their dopamine system is and a positive mood increases dopamine activity even further in many parts of the brain,” the Scotsman quoted him as saying.

“It is the combination of the extrovert personality-type in a positive mood which encourages more creative performance, and not positive mood alone,” he added.

The study was published in the journal Personality and Individual Differences. (ANI)