3. 5. Creativity tasks
Mixed-design ANOVAs with Time (pre-test vs. post-test) as a within-participant factor and Group (control group vs. stress group) as a between-participant factor, were conducted on AUT scores (fluency, flexibility, and originality) and RAT scores (accuracy rate). Data are depicted in Figure 5A.
For AUT fluency, no significant main effects of Time, F (1, 61) =0.92, p = .342, \(\eta_{p}^{2}\) = 0.02, or Group, F (1, 61) = 0.91, p = .343, \(\eta_{p}^{2}\) = 0.02 were observed, but there was a significant Time × Group interaction, F (1, 61) = 6.50, p = .013, \(\eta_{p}^{2}\) = 0.10. Simple effects analyses (Bonferroni corrected) showed that the post-test score in the control group was significantly higher than the pre-test score (p= .015).
For AUT flexibility, there no significant main effects of Time,F (1, 61) = 0.235, p = .630, \(\eta_{p}^{2}\) = 0.004, or Group, F (1, 61) = 0.711, p = .403, \(\eta_{p}^{2}\) = 0.01. In addition, no significant Time × Group interaction was observed,F (1, 61) = 3.61, p = .062, \(\eta_{p}^{2}\) = 0.06.
For AUT originality, a significant main effect of Group was observed,F (1, 61) = 9.568, p = .003, \(\eta_{p}^{2}\) = 0.14, although the main effect of Time was not significant, F (1, 61) = 0.001, p = .972, \(\eta_{p}^{2}\) < 0.001. However, a significant Time × Group interaction occurred, F (1, 61) = 21.66,p < .001, \(\eta_{p}^{2}\) = 0.26. The simple effects tests (Bonferroni corrected) revealed that the post-test score in the stress group was significantly lower than pre-test score (p = .002).
For RAT accuracy rate (see Figure 5B), no significant main effect of Time, F (1, 61) =1.01, p = .320, \(\eta_{p}^{2}\) = 0.02, or Group, F (1, 61) = 0.74, p = .394, \(\eta_{p}^{2}\) = 0.01, were observed. In addition, the interaction effect of Time × Group was not significant, F (1, 61) = 1.35, p = .249,\(\eta_{p}^{2}\) = 0.02.