Relationship between creativity and dishonesty mediated by ability to justify unethical behavior: A review of negative aspect of creativity

The purpose of present study was to demonstrate the undesirable and harmful side of creativity with the assumption that creative people are able to justify their unethical behaviors. Therefore they are more able to convince themselves to commit unethical behaviors. Research method was correlational and statistical population was all undergraduate students of the Qom Payame Noor University (N=8100) that 165 of whom were selected using a multistage random sampling and were placed in an ethical dilemma to choose between self-interest and moral self-concept in two ways so that justifying unethical behavior in justifiable group was easy and in unjustifiable group was hard. Research tools were Abdi’s creativity test (1372) and Raven`s progressive test and data were analyzed using moderated regression analysis. Findings showed that creativity, even after statistical control of IQ can predict dishonesty, and that this prediction is very stronger in unjustifiable group than justifiable group. Creativity has negative and harmful aspects that must be considered and led to positive ones using planning and education.