Study on the Internal Relationship and Influence Mechanism Between Big Five Personality Traits and Creativity of College Students

In the context of digital transformation in education, cultivating creativity among college students serves as both a crucial mission for higher education reform and a vital cornerstone for implementing innovation-driven development strategies and building an innovative nation. However, current talent cultivation approaches often focus on knowledge transmission and skill training while neglecting students' non-cognitive competencies. Building on this foundation, our study employs trait activation theory and creativity component theory as theoretical frameworks, introducing creative self-efficacy and innovative climate as mediating variables to explore how the Big Five personality traits influence student creativity. Using structural equation modeling, hierarchical regression, and Bootstrap methods, we analyzed data from 463 university students. The findings reveal that Big Five personality traits significantly positively impact creativity, with creative self-efficacy partially mediating this relationship between personality traits and creativity. Simultaneously, innovative climate positively moderates the effect of Big Five personality traits on creative self-efficacy. Finally, we propose that universities should develop customized talent cultivation programs from the perspective of individual capabilities and environmental interactions, fostering a dynamic innovative atmosphere to advance educational reform and enhance talent development quality.