Publication Date

2026

Document Type

Dissertation/Thesis

First Advisor

Finkelstein, Lisa M.

Degree Name

M.A. (Master of Arts)

Legacy Department

Department of Psychology

Abstract

This thesis examined the relationship between bicultural identity and creative thinking among first-, 1.5-, and second-generation immigrants across a broad range of skill levels. Creativity was assessed using the Alternate Uses Task, with fluency, flexibility, and originality combined into a composite score. Results indicated that biculturalism was a strong predictor of creativity, with both cultural distance and cultural conflict positively associated with creative performance. Cultural distance showed the strongest effect, suggesting that maintaining differentiated cultural frameworks enhances divergent thinking. Mediation analyses provided partial support for biculturalism as a mechanism linking immigrant generation to creativity, primarily among second-generation immigrants. Moderation analyses further showed that the biculturalism–creativity relationship was weakest among 1.5-generation immigrants, underscoring the importance of developmental timing and acculturative context. Overall, findings conceptualize creativity as an adaptive response to cultural complexity rather than a function of occupational skill level. By centering bicultural adaptation across immigrant generations, this study challenges deficit-based narratives and highlights the cognitive strengths that emerge from navigating multiple cultural frameworks, with implications for education, workforce development, and policy.

Extent

97 pages

Language

en

Publisher

Northern Illinois University

Rights Statement

In Copyright

Rights Statement 2

NIU theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from Huskie Commons for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without the written permission of the authors.

Media Type

Text

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Psychology Commons

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