![]() ![]() Even on a neurological level, creativity is messy. In doing so, they’re able to juggle seemingly contradictory modes of thought-cognitive and emotional, deliberate and spontaneous. However, as creative people further hone and refine their work, the executive attention network becomes increasingly more active.Ĭreative people are particularly good at exercising flexibility in activating and deactivating these brain networks that in most people tend to be at odds with each other. The imagination and salience networks are highly active, while the more focused executive domain is relatively quiet. Initially, their brain states resemble a state of flow or complete absorption in the task. Researchers have observed this cognitive tango in action through the brain scans of people engaged in their personal creative processes. When we generate new ideas, these networks-along with the salience network, which is responsible for motivation-engage in a complex dance. ![]() They also help us focus our imagination, blocking out external distractions and allowing us to tune into our inner experiences. Executive control processes support creative thinking by helping us deliberately plan future actions, remember to use various creative tactics, keep track of which strategies we’ve already tried, and reject the most obvious ideas. The “executive attention” network of the brain is also crucial to creativity, however. It should come as no surprise then that the activity of this network-as we like to call it, the “imagination network”-also informs our most creative ideas. ![]() The default network enables us to construct personal meaning from our experiences, imagine other perspectives and scenarios, comprehend stories, and reflect on mental and emotional states-both our own and those of others. The discovery of the “default network” of the brain-the part of the brain at work when we are not purposefully engaged in other tasks-is one of the most important recent discoveries in neuroscience. This complex process consists of many interacting cognitive systems (both conscious and unconscious) and emotions, with different brain regions recruited to handle each task and to work together as a team to get the job done. Neuroscientists who study creativity have found that creativity does not involve a single brain region or even a single side of the brain, as the “right brain” myth of creativity suggests instead, it draws on the whole brain. The key is recognizing that creativity is multifaceted-on the level of the brain, personality, and the creative process-and can be displayed in many different ways, from the deeply personal experience of uncovering a new idea or experience to expressing ourselves through words, photos, fashion, and other everyday creations, to the work of renowned artists that transcends the ages. Adapted from Wired to Create: Unraveling the Mysteries of the Creative Mind, by Scott Barry Kaufman and Carolyn Gregoire (Perigee Books, 2015)īut science has shown that, in many ways, we are all wired to create. ![]()
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