Schoolchildren subjected to the strain of competition are at risk of blunting their inventiveness and imagination compared to peers who are allowed to develop without the pressure of overbearing parents pushing for top-of-the-class results. Psychologists at Hong Kong’s Lingnan University and Baptist University have found that stress arising from factors such as "competition, noise, confined environments, and engaging in challenging tasks" could be behind reduced "creative performance." In a paper published in the journal Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, the researchers found that strains related to exams and pushy parents bent on beating the neighbours "trigger anxiety" and leave children less inclined to "express creativity." Everyone feels the effects of such stress, the team said, explaining that it can "increase cognitive load, which reduces the cognitive resources available for creative thinking." Teenagers are primed by least “moderate” competitive pressure and in turn show some improvements in their “innovative ability,” the team asserted.

Source: The Star March 02, 2026 22:00 UTC