The Relationship Between Aesthetic Sensitivity and Artistic Creativity: A Meta-Analysis in the Context of Correlational Studies
Abstract
This study performed a meta-analysis of correlational studies to investigate the relationship between aesthetic sensitivity and artistic creativity. Additionally, several potential moderators were identified to explore their influence on the average effect size, including (i) the sample group, (ii) publication type, (iii) publication year, (iv) the age range of the sample, (v) the culture of publication, and (vi) the type of artistic creativity addressed. A literature search was conducted on the Web of Science, Scopus, TR Index, and ProQuest academic databases to identify studies for inclusion. The search was current through August 2025. Out of 168 studies identified, 25 were deemed suitable. The absence of publication bias was determined using a Funnel plot and Duval and Tweedie’s trim and fill method. The analysis was performed using a fixed-effects model, with effect size accepted as the standard measure to reveal the strength and direction of the relationship among studies. The results indicated a strong positive relationship between aesthetic sensitivity and artistic creativity (r=.55). Moderator analyses showed that publication year, participant age group, and creativity type played a moderating role in this relationship. Specifically, the highest effect sizes were observed in the 26-30 age group and for product-based creativity. However, publication type, culture, and participant type did not show a moderating effect. Overall, it can be concluded that aesthetic sensitivity has a broad and consistent effect on artistic creativity.
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.51383/ijonmes.2025.436
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