Chapter 3
Might VMPFC damage be beneficial to creativity
NO
RESULTS Bourassa & Vaugeois (2001): For regular users?
but it REDUCED divergent thinking in the regular users
RESULTS Norlander & Gustafson (1998): Regarding originality scores?
group who had received the alcohol had higher "originality" scores than either the control group or the placebo group
General connections of the Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex
heavily connected to the limbic system, particularly the amygdala and something called the "cingulate cortex"
Left dorsolateral PFC function?
involved in semantic memory retrieval
Deliberate activity
involves deliberately focusing attention on problem and putting effort into coming up with creative solution
Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex
it's an area that is higher up into the side in th prefrontal cortex
General connections?
it's heavily connected with the temporal, occipital, parietal regions of the cortex
RESULTS Martindale & Hasenfus (1978): For "highly creative" writers?
writers that were rated as "highly creative" by their professor had significantly higher ALPHA activity during the "inspiration" phase than during the "elaboration" phase of the process ALPHA refers to the neural oscillations in the 8 to 12 Hertz range
Spontaneous creativity primarily due to?
spontaneous creativity is primarily due to activation in the temporal, occipital, and parietal regions in the absence of directed attention and searching and accessing specific semantic memories
RESULTS Norlander & Gustafson (1998): Regarding fluency scores?
"Fluency" was not significantly affected by alcohol
RESULTS Martindale & Hasenfus (1978): For "less creative" writers?
"less creative" subjects showed no difference in the EEG activity during ANY of the different phases of the process.
How might creative drive help increase creative skill?
1. Practice Effects 2. "Darwinian" model
3 basic functions of the Prefrontal Cortex?
1. Working memory 2. Temporal integration, the integration of sensory motor and motivational functions towards goals and rewards 3. Sustained and directed attention
What was Martindale & Hasenfus (1978): Experiment 2 study about?
16 subjects performed similar story-writing task, except that they were asked to write a fantasy story: Also this time, Creativity was measured by Remote Associates Test and a divergent thinking test, rather than being a rating from their writing professor Researchers varied whether or not subjects were specifically told to be "creative" and "original." Some subjects were specifically told to be "creative" and "original" others were not
What was Weckowitz et al (1975) study about?
Investigate dosage of marijuana
RESULTS Peterson & Lansky (1977)
29% of faculty left-handed (10% in general population were left handed) Left-handers performed better in program than right-handers In general, more left-handers apply to architecture schools
RESULTS Snyder (2003): How many subjects showed stylistic changes in their drawings after TMS?
4 out of the 11 subjects showed stylistic changes in their drawings after TMS
Alexithymia
Alexithymia is described as a lack of emotional awareness, a lack of emotional relating, and a lack of social attachment.
Psychological disorder most associated with creativity?
Bipolar patients typically show increase in creativity when in manic phase Bipolar disorder is associated with enlargement of amygdala, part of the limbic system and (emotional center of brain)
Cerebellum has numerous connections with the prefrontal cortex
Cerebellum receives input from PFC via the pons Cerebellum sends its output to PFC via the thalamus
What are the 3 characteristics of Alexithymia?
Characteristics #1?: difficulty distinguishing, identifying, and appreciating emotions Characteristics #2?: difficulty describing feelings to other people Characteristics #3?: Decreased imaginal processes - which means a "lack of imagination" as evidence by a scarcity of fantasies
What was Bourassa & Vaugeois (2001) study about?
Compared creativity effects of marijuana on regular users (3x/week) for at least 6 months vs. novice (never) users
Corpus Callosum
Corpus callosum is the largest commissure
Which area of PFC seems important for deliberate creativity?
Deliberate creativity is particularly likely to involve the activation of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex
What are Emergenic traits?
Emergenic traits are High-order traits that "emerge" from interaction among a cluster of more fundamental traits
Do Emergentic traits likely to run in families?
Emergentic traits, although they are dependent on genetics, they are unlikely to run in families. That's because it's unlikely for most relatives to share all, or even a large percentage, of the necessary components of that trait cluster Even though these kinds of traits generally don't run in families, again, they are highly influenced by genetics.
Does Emotion play a role in creativity?
Emotions also plays a role in creativity - they help drive us to be creative, motivating us and making creative work emotionally important to us
What was Waller et al (1993) study about?
Evaluated data from 45 pairs of MZ twins reared apart, one set of identical triplets reared apart, and 32 of pairs of DZ twins reared apart These subjects were part of a longitudinal study known as the Minnesota Study of Twins Reared Apart Subjects completed Creative Personality Scale
What was Ito (1997) study about?
Explained how cerebellum manipulates ideas in similar way to how it manipulates motor control Ito's ideas are that Ideas/concepts are manipulated just like limbs are in movement (e.g. mentally arranging furniture is similar to actually controlling limbs to accomplish same thing)
What was Burke et al (1989) study about?
Gave both visual and verbal divergent thinking tasks to left-handers and right-handers
Hypergraphia associated with what kind of brain activity?
Generally associated with a DECREASE in temporal lobe activity. It most commonly occurs where there is a lesion to the right temporal lobe
What was Carisson, Wendt, & Risberg (2000) study about?
Had high-creativity and low-creativity subjects perform creativity test (Wallach and Kogan "uses" test)
What was TenHouten (1994) study about?
In this study, TenHouten compared 8 split brain subjects to 8 control subjects Split-brain patients (and controls) watched 3-minute film portraying (with images and background music) death of baby and boy Subjects were asked questions about film, and asked to write 4 sentences expressing what they felt about the film
RESULTS Weckowitz et al (1975): Results for higher doses?
Higher doses INHIBITED performance
What was Hoppe (1988) study about?
Hoppe Investigated how much affect (the "feeling" or experience of emotion) split-brain patients experience when shown an emotional film (ex: child disappearing from swing). Subjects watched emotionally-evocative film and described feelings and reactions to film
What is Hypergraphia
Hypergraphia is a compulsive drive to WRITE. People who are hypergraphic find themselves driven to write all the time.
What was Martindale et al (1986) study about?
Investigated differences in EEG activity when one is involved in primary process thinking compared to secondary process thinking In this study, Researchers recorded EEG activity as subjects wrote a fantasy story. Researchers also evaluated stories in terms of primary process content (using the Regressive Imagery Dictionary).
What was Norlander & Gustafson (1998) study about?
Investigated effects of alcohol on divergent thinking Subjects given a divergent thinking tasks: a "uses" tasks under one of three conditions: control (no alcohol), alcohol-influenced (.08 blood-alcohol level), placebo
What was West (1983) study about?
Investigated effects of marijuana on creativity Subjects wrote stories after looking at picture from Thematic Appreciation Test (TAT) Subjects wrote a story first based on a picture from the Thematic Apperception Test, first without being under influence (baseline condition), then they wrote another story while under influence of marijuana or a placebo
Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex
It's area is lower and near the middle of the prefrontal cortex
Are alexithymics creative?
People who are alexithymic will have difficulty being creative
Prefrontal Cortex
Prefrontal Cortex is involved in Enabling such high-level cognitive functions as the self-construct, self-reflective consciousness, willed action, planning, abstract thinking, and much more.
Primary process cognition
Primary process cognition is described as irrational, free associative, and perceptual Freud believed this kind of thinking is present in children, in dreaming, and in psychotic states
What did Flaherty (2005) proposed?
Proposed model of creativity focusing on the interaction of three areas of the brain: 1.frontal lobes 2.temporal lobes 3.limbic system Proposed link between creative drive and hypergraphia and mania (high arousal and energy level)
Cerebellum
Research suggest that the cerebellum may make significant contributions to creativity Cerebellum is involved in the timing and coordination of motor control Research suggests that cerebellum is involved in general timing and sequencing, not just with motor processes, but with cognitive processes as well (including those of working memory)
RESULTS from Hoppe: Split-brain subject's description of their reactions?
Researchers described the Split-brain subjects description of their feelings and reactions as more or less "episodic,"
RESULTS Martindale et al (1986):
Researchers found that primary process cognition was indeed associated with an asymmetry in hemispheric activation - with greater right-hemisphere activity than left-hemisphere activity. However, the asymmetry in hemispheric activity found was a BASAL or "baseline" asymmetry, rather than an asymmetry occurring in a short-term situation like the 3-min "inspiration" phase of the "elaboration" phase
What was Nichols (1978) study about?
Reviewed 10 twin studies of divergent thinking
Secondary process cognition
Secondary process cognition is logical and realistic Freud described this as the kind of thought that occurs in normal waking consciousness of adults
Who tends to be Alexithymics?
Split-brain patients tend to be Alexithymics.
RESULTS TenHouten (1994): Split-brain subject results regarding quality of speech?
Split-brain subjects used very few affect-laden words, meaning that they used emotionless words in their descriptions. They also used less adjectives in general, their speech coming off as "flat," "dull," "uninvolved," and "lacking in expression." They were also found to be less likely to consider or imagine the symbols present in the film.
RESULTS from Hoppe: Split-brain subject's level of affect?
Split-brain subjects' descriptions of their emotions and reaction were significantly different from those of the control subjects. Split-brain patients described their reaction in very unemotional terms, seeming completely lacking in affect.
^Evidence to support this prediction?
There is substantial evidence going back to threshold theory. In people who are above the threshold of IQ necessary for creativity, creativity is more dependent on the brain's MOTIVATIONAL system than on that person's creative "skill."
Mechanism thought to cause hypergraphia?
The mechanism that's thought to them cause hypergraphia is that the equilibrium between right and left temporal lobes is disrupted, causing the left-hemisphere language related activity to become disinhibited
Other RESULTS Snyder (2003)
They also gave subjects a placebo TMS treatment as well, and the stylistic changes were NOT seen in their drawings after the placebo TMS treatment, only with the actual TMS Three of these subjects also reported altered states of perception - feeling more alert and more conscious of detail One subject even said he wished he had been asked to write an essay (something he previously disliked) because the TMS led him to be highly aware of detail in his surroundings and would have been able to write a very good descriptive essay
RESULTS Burke et al (1989): Findings for verbal divergent thinking tests?
They found no difference between right-handers and left-handers
What was Peterson & Lansky (1977) study about?
They investigated handedness in a university architecture program. Looked at Univ. of Cincinnati architecture program
RESULTS Waller et al (1993): Conclusion
This caused the researchers to describe Creativity as an EMERGENIC trait
What does the "Darwinian" model predict?
This model predicts that the subjects who come up with the best ideas will typically ALSO be the subjects that are the most driven and productive, and that innate creative SKILL will be less important.
What was Martindale & Hasenfus (1978) study about?
Took EEG readings of 12 creative-writing students as they went through phases of story-writing activity: EEG data was collected as they: Waited for study to begin, During a 3 minute "inspiration" period (thinking about what they would write), While actually writing the story (the "elaboration phases) Students had been rated in creativity by their creative writing professor Asked to "use their imagination" and make up story of who the man and woman are, how they met, and what will happen when she is asked out on a date. They were specifically asked to be creative and original
Snyder et al (2003): Proofreading Results
Two of Snyder's subjects - two that had also shown drawing improvement under TMS, also showed an improvement in their PROOFREADING Abilities Savants often described as atypically LITERAL - they tend to concentrate on parts and details than on the whole, allowing them to see world in a less-biased light This suggests that savants may be better proofreaders than others TMS caused temporary impairment of the left-fronto-temporal lobe and that this lead to savant-like ability to see details of the PARTS and not be fooled by what they expected to see
What was Synder et al (2003) study about?
Used Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) to simulate temporarily impair the fronto-temporal lobe The Fronto-temporal lobe implicated in savant syndrome in young artistic savants and savants emerge late in life due to fronto-temporal lobe dementia Eleven subjects given drawing and proofreading tasks performed before, during, and after TMS
RESULTS Snyder (2003): Did subjects' drawings revert back to original pre-TMS style after 45 minutes?
also for these 3 subjects, their drawings did not revert to their original Pre-TMS style, even after 45 minutes had passed since the TMS stimulation This suggest that this altered perceptual state may persist for longer time frames - at least for 45 minutes
Why are alexithymics not creative?
because they simply don't get very excited about opportunities and challenges. They aren't highly interested or motivated to think creatively or to solve problems.
Right dorsolateral PFC function?
closely associated with sustained attention
RESULTS Waller et al (1993): Overall conclusion about creativity?
creativity seems to be an emergenic trait - again, highly influenced by genes, yet tends NOT to run in families
RESULTS Bourassa & Vaugeois (2001): For novices?
found that marijuana has no effect on the divergent thinking of novices (never users)
RESULTS Waller et al (1993): Correlation for MZ (identical) twins?
found a moderately high correlation of .54 in their response on the Creative Personality Scale
RESULTS Waller et al (1993): Correlation for DZ (fraternal) twins?
found a very LOW, non-significant correlation of -.06
RESULTS Nichols (1978): Average correlation of divergent thinking scores for fraternal twins?
found an average correlation for fraternal twins of .50
RESULTS Nichols (1978): Average correlation of divergent thinking scores for identical twins?
found average correlation for identical twins of .61
RESULTS Burke et al (1989): Findings for visual divergent thinking tests?
found that for VISUAL divergent thinking task that they gave to their subjects, left-handers did slightly better than the right-handers, although only of these differences was statistically significant
RESULTS Weckowitz et al (1975): Results for low doses?
found that low levels of marijuan were associated with ENHANCED performance on divergent thinking tests
RESULTS Norlander & Gustafson (1998): Affect of lower levels of alcohol (.05 blood-alcohol level)?
lower doses of alcohol, .05, did not show ANY effects on creativity.
Most common deficit associated with Ventromedial PFC (VMPFC) lesions?
most common deficit associated with ventromedial prefrontal cortex lesions is "impaired social function," which include: Inappropriate social behaviors, lack of moral judgment Lowered social inhibitions, showing little concern for self/others Showing little regard for social restraints
Spontaneous creativity
occurs during periods of de-focused attention (i.e. insight)
RESULTS Burke et al (1989): Author's suggestion about certain subject's slight advantage?
suggest that in those kinds of creative activities where left-handers seem to have a slight advantage, it may be because they've developed a kind of creative "coping skill," due to the fact that they've had to adjust to environments created for right-handed people. They suggest this may contribute to their "flexibility" and "creative thinking"
Commissurotomy
surgical severing of commissures, which leaves the two hemispheres to operate fairly independently
RESULTS TenHouten (1994): Overall conclusion of spit-brain research?
the Split-brain research suggest is that creativity appears to involve the interaction of BOTH hemispheres This is based on the evidence that split brain subjects, whose hemispheres are not able to interact, show significant impairments to creativity
RESULTS Norlander & Gustafson (1998): Regarding flexibility scores?
the alcohol group had lower "flexibility" scores than the control or placebo groups
Ex of Practice Effects
the more you write or paint, the better you get at it
RESULTS TenHouten (1994): Split-brain subjects compared to control subjects?
the split-brain patients were again found to be significantly more alexithymic than control subjects.
RESULTS TenHouten (1994): Level of creativity in split-brain subjects' verbal productions?
there was a lack of creativity in the contents of their spoken and written verbal productions.
RESULTS Martindale et al (1986): Author's Conclusion
these result suggest that people who just, in general have a high level of right-hemisphere activation - as compared to the left-hemisphere activation - tend to think in a more primary process way
Commissures
they are large bundles of nerve fibers that pass neural messages from one hemisphere to the other
RESULTS Carisson, Wendt, & Risberg (2000):
they found that high-creativity people showed different brain activity than the low creativity people. High creativity subjects showed a bilateral increase in brain activity in various areas of the prefrontal cortex compared to low-creativity subjects "Bilateral"means the increase in activity occurred in both hemispheres
RESULTS West (1983): what did they find?
they found that the experimental group, those actually under the influence of marijuana, wrote stories with HIGHER primary process content - that is, uninhibited, free associative content - than did the control or placebo subjects. They found that individuals subjects DID have more primary process content when they were under the influence of Marijuana than when they weren't.
RESULTS Martindale & Hasenfus (1978): Experiment 2: What was found?
they found the same increase in "alpha" activity during the "inspiration" phase for the highly-creative subjects, just like the previous study. HOWEVER, it was ONLY when the subjects were specifically INSTRUCTED to be creative and to be original. The alpha increase did not occur even with the highly-creative subjects when they WEREN'T instructed to be creative and original
Regressive Imagery Dictionary
this identifies words and phrases that are indicative of primary process thinking
Contralateral" processing
this is where a particular hemisphere controls or process information regarding the opposite side of the body.
RESULTS from Hoppe: what does Episodic mean?
this means that they focused on the basic sequence of events rather than the meaning of what was going on in those very evocative and meaningful films. Ex. the split-brain participants didn't react or comment on the disappearance of the child and did not mention the significance of the obvious symbolism of the empty swings. Overall their reactions were described as dull, uninvolved, flat, lacking in expressiveness.
What is the "Darwinian" model?
this model says that when high motivation causes more ideas or works to be produced, in general, then more novel, original or useful ideas will be created as well.
What is mesolimbic dopaminergic pathway?
this pathway is also know as the "reward" pathway, and it travels from an area of the midbrain - called the "ventral tegmental area" - up to several structures of the limbic system. This domanigernic pathway is involved in all kinds of reward seeking activity, from gambing, to cocaine addiction, to the appreciation of beautiful faces and music. This pathway identified rewarding stimuli and drives us to perform or repeat actions to OBTAIN that reward.
RESULTS Norlander & Gustafson (1998): CONCLUSION
this research showed that people end up having slightly more ORIGINAL ideas, but they are less FLEXIBLE - they don't shift their focus of thought as much or as frequently as when they are sober