PhD defence Q. (Qi) Zhang

Below is a brief summary about the dissertation:

Sensory processing sensitivity influences how people innately perceive and process contextual cues (e.g., task, visual, and social cues). In this dissertation, I take an information processing approach to this neurobiological trait and explore its role in how a person makes decisions about creative ideas and handles social networks. I have examined in two empirical papers how individuals forecast the potential of creative ideas and how individuals develop and utilize their social networks under the constraint of their innate sensitivity. The findings demonstrate that people at a higher level of sensitivity are better suited to use intuitive methods in forecasting how a target audience may accept a creative idea whereas analytical methods might be more effective for low-sensitive ones. Highly sensitive individuals are also more easily lured to brokerage positions in a social network when they hold a communal schema, befriending people who are not friends with each other, despite the detrimental effect on their individual performance. 
Altogether, this dissertation offers some initial yet meaningful insights into the impact of sensory processing sensitivity on critical work outputs via its influence on task- or social-focused processes. These findings bear importance for both researchers and practitioners, informing organizations on how to improve organizational decision-making in innovation management and create a more inclusive social environment where everyone can flourish.