3. 7. Serial mediation model test
To explore the function of HPA and SAM activation in stress-related alterations in creativity and cognitive performance, three serial mediation models were performed with PROCESS v4.0. The 95% bias-corrected confidence intervals (CIs) were generated employing 5000 bootstrapping samples. The aim of the first model was to provide evidence for the mediation of stress-induced HPA activation on creativity. The second and third models were performed to verify the role of the SAM axis in stress-influenced creativity. Before the serial mediation model test, bivariate Pearson correlation analyses were conducted on the physiological, cognitive, and behavioral outcomes (see Table 1).
Table 1 Pearson correlation coefficients between group condition, cortisol results, ocular results, cognitive flexibility, and creativity performance.