The power of prosocial behaviour in sparking creativity and innovation
Creativity has been an essential trait for humans since our ancestors were able to overcome threats and create opportunities amidst their environment, maintaining the lineage survival. In our current world of rapid and sometimes unpredictable change, creative ideas continue to be paramount. This ranges from organisations which must innovate and compete in dynamic market conditions to societies that need to respond to health crises and other social challenges. In this context, the MUSES project was developed to study how prosocial behaviours – actions intended to benefit others or society as a whole – can be connected to proactivity, resilience and creativity. Undertaken with the support of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the project focused on the rewarding and motivational effect of perceived social impact. It captured patterns of proactive and creative behaviour across different samples, where motivation was the most relevant element and reward was of lower importance. “In the light of the continuously growing service sector as well as the increasing popularity of organisational concepts such as social entrepreneurship or social innovation, prosocial motivation is a timely and relevant topic,” says Konstantinos Papachristopoulos, MUSES’ project coordinator.
Integrating psychological theories and diverse methods
MUSES used different methodological approaches, such as cross-sectional studies, diary studies and experiments, building on two main theories. The first is the motivated information processing theory by social psychologist Ziva Kunda, which suggests that people’s desires influence how they perceive and interpret information. The second is the self-determination theory by psychologists Ryan and Deci, which posits that people are more motivated and effective when their basic psychological needs – such as autonomy and competence – are satisfied. The project provided evidence that the perceived social impact of participants as well as prosocial motivation are associated with innovative work behaviour and creativity through basic needs satisfaction. “When people focus their attention on others, they are more likely to be proactive and resilient, and develop ideas that are ultimately useful to others,” asserts Papachristopoulos. Several organisations in Greece and Canada were involved in the research, including academic and cultural institutions, NGOs and associations and municipalities, entailing a varied sample of participants such as employees, artists, students, doctors and volunteers. Based on the different contexts, MUSES employed some additional variables to the studies conducted: for instance, work engagement in cultural organisations and intention to stay as a volunteer in the case of NGOs.
Practical applications of prosocial motivation
“The findings of MUSES set a new stage for the self-determination theory by opening new avenues for how needs are satisfied in the workplace, providing new explanations about human creativity that go beyond personality traits, and proposing new interventions and human resources management practices for organisations,” affirms Papachristopoulos. In practical terms, the research can provide guidance to organisations that want to satisfy employees’ needs, spark creativity and encourage innovative work behaviour. According to the findings, initiatives that nurture a sense of positive impact, allowing employees to contribute positively to their colleagues, the company and the broader community, can be highly effective. Given this, organisations can establish programmes that facilitate volunteering, mentoring or social responsibility, ultimately enhancing employees’ sense of prosocial impact and overall need satisfaction. Recognising and valuing their contribution further improves their engagement in innovative work behaviour.
Keywords
MUSES, creativity, motivation, prosocial behaviour, social impact, human resources