A Playful Climate and the Multilevel Scientific Creativity of Chinese College Student Innovation Teams: A Synthetic Review and an Integrative Theoretical Framework

Abstract

Multilevel scientific creativity of college students has gained increasing scholarly attention. However, the double-edged effects of a playful climate on creativity have often been overlooked, while single-level theoretical frameworks have hindered the understanding of complex scientific creative processes. In this review, the relationship between a playful climate and multilevel scientific creativity in Chinese college student innovation teams was systematically reviewed, and an integrative theoretical framework was proposed. This framework includes a cross-level model that incorporates thriving at work and collective thriving as facilitating mechanisms, while recognizing work absorption and social loafing as inhibiting mechanisms. This model thereby clarifies the double-edged effects underlying the relationship between a playful climate and multilevel scientific creativity. From a person–environment interaction perspective, learning goal orientation at the individual level and team reflexivity at the team level are considered as potential boundary conditions that amplify the positive effects and mitigate potential negative effects of a playful climate. This review enriches the multiple theoretical levels of scientific creativity, expands the research field concerning the playful climate, and provides novel insights for developing innovative education practices in higher education institutions.