It is commonly assumedthatpositivemoodimproveshumancreativityandthattheneurotransmitterdopaminemightmediatethisassociation.However,giventhenon-linearrelationbetweendopamineandflexibilityindivergentthinking(AkbariChermahiniandHommel,2010),theimpactofmoodondivergentkindsofcreativitymightdependonagivenindividual’stonicdopaminelevel.Wetestedthispossibilityinadultsbyassessingmood,performanceinadivergentthinkingtask[theAlternateUsesTask(AUT)],andeyeblinkrates(EBRs),awell-establishedclinicalmarkeroftheindividualdopaminelevel,beforeandafterpositivemoodornegativemoodinduction.Asexpected,theassociationbetweenflexibilityindivergentthinkingperformanceandEBRfollowedaninvertedU-shapefunction(withbestperformanceformediumlevels),positivemoodinductionraisedEBRsandonlyindividualswithbelow-medianEBRs,butnotthosewithabove-medianEBRs,benefitedfrompositivemood.Theseobservationsprovidesupportfordopamine-basedapproachestotheimpactofmoodoncreativityandchallengethegeneralityofthewidelyheldviewthatpositivemoodfacilitatescreativity.
