The Mediating Role of Identity Fit: Understanding the Relationship between Communication Media, Demographic Differences, and Creativity

Four recent trends (increased diversity, increased use of teams, increased use of a variety of communication media, and increased focus on creative output) have created a need for understanding how diversity and communication media influence individuals, their interactions within groups, and their influence on creativity. In previous work, the concept of identity fit was developed to explain how the psychological mechanisms inherent in group work and the situational effects defined by the team and organizational context interact to determine individual outcomes. The current study looks at the extent to which communication media and demographic diversity predict creativity. Identity fit is predicted to mediate the relationships between the antecedents and creativity. Results of a field study show that communication media and demographic differences have a significant effect on creativity. Identity fit mediated the relationship between communication media and creativity. Implications of these results are discussed.