Teachers' implicit theories of creativity were elicited by requesting 204 Hong Kong primary and secondary school teachers to list the characteristics of either creative or uncreative students. Their responses, an average of about 4 to 5 creative or uncreative characteristics by each teacher, were categorized into 42 creative and 33 uncreative attributes, traits, or trait adjectives. The most frequently mentioned creative attributes were "imaginative," "always questioning," "quick in responding." "active," and "high intellectual ability," whereas the most frequently mentioned uncreative attributes were "conventional," "timid," "lack of confidence," and "conforming." Unlike results of U.S. studies, this study yielded findings that suggested that Chinese teachers regarded some characteristics of creative students as socially undesirable and other characteristics as associating highly with intellectual functioning. Cultural differences on the perception of creativity in students are discussed.[Copyright of Creativity Research Journal is the property of Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Full article may be available at the publisher's website: http://dx.doi.org/10.1207/s15326934crj1203_3]
