Creativity and the Brain

Neurocognitive approach to higher cognitive functions that bridges the gap between psychological and neural level of description is introduced. Relevant facts about the brain, working memory and representation of symbols in the brain are summarized. Putative brain processes responsible for problem solving, intuition, skill learning and automatization are described. The role of non-dominant brain hemisphere in solving problems requiring insight is conjectured. Two factors seem to be essential for creativity: imagination constrained by experience, and filtering that selects most interesting solutions. Experiments with paired words association are analyzed in details and evidence for stochastic resonance effects is found. Brain activity in the process of invention of novel words is proposed as the simplest way to understand creativity using experimental and computational means. Perspectives on computational models of creativity are discussed

BrainGene: computational creativity algorithm that invents novel interesting names

Human-level intelligence implies creativity, not only on the grand scale, but primarily in the everyday activity, such as understanding intentions, behavior, and invention of new words. Psychological models of creativity have some support in experimental cognitive psychology, but computational models of creative processes are quite rare. This paper presents a model of creative processes behind invention of novel words related to description of products and services

Uma dose de criatividade : uma revisão integrativa dos efeitos dos psicadélicos na criatividade

Background: Creativity is an important asset in the modern world. It can be defined as the ability to come up with ideas or artefacts that are original and valuable. Classic psychedelic drugs (i.e., dimethyltryptamine, psilocybin, lysergic acid diethylamide, and mescaline) have long been hailed as substances that can enhance creativity in their users. The recent resurgence in psychedelic research has brought with it the opportunity to understand the psychological, cognitive, and behavioural effects that these drugs exert in humans. This integrative review was conducted in order to summarize the knowledge pertaining to the effects that psychedelics can have on creativity by analyzing every study to date that assessed creativity through psychometric measures. Methods: A search was conducted on the MEDLINE, Web of Science, and PsycINFO databases for studies published until 17 November 2020, alongside other relevant sources, that assessed changes in creativity alongside psychedelic administration. Results: Out of the 314 studies identified, a total of 10 studies were included and analyzed, of which 5 were quasi-experiments, 4 were observational/naturalistic, and only 1 was a randomized controlled trial. All four of the main psychedelic compounds were represented. Every study assessed components and subcomponents of divergent and convergent thinking, with only one instance of product assessment. In most studies, divergent thinking increased during the acute stage of the drug intake and convergent thinking increased in the long-term. Conclusions: Psychedelics may be able to enhance divergent thinking in the acute phase and convergent thinking in later phases. However, evidence is limited due to the low number of studies available, small sample sizes, lack of randomized controlled trials, and significant methodological limitations throughout most studies. Potential mechanisms underlying these effects are discussed, along with suggestions for future studies.Introdução: A criatividade é um ativo valioso no mundo moderno que pode ser definida como a capacidade de criar ideias ou artefactos que são originais e valiosos. Os psicadélicos clássicos (i.e., dimetiltriptamina, psilocibina, dietilamida do ácido lisérgico e mescalina) são desde há muito valorizados como substâncias que podem aumentar a criatividade nos seus utilizadores. O ressurgimento recente na investigação psicadélica representa uma oportunidade de compreender os efeitos psicológicos, cognitivos e comportamentais que estas substâncias exercem no ser humano. Esta revisão integrativa teve como objetivo sumarizar o conhecimento relativo aos efeitos que os psicadélicos podem ter na criatividade, analisando todos os estudos realizados à data que avaliassem a relação entre psicadélicos e criatividade através de medidas psicométricos. Métodos: Foi realizada uma pesquisa nas bases de dados MEDLINE, Web of Science e PsycINFO por estudos publicados até 17 de novembro de 2020, bem como em outras fontes relevantes, que avaliassem mudanças na criatividade relacionadas com administração de psicadélicos. Resultados: Dos 314 estudos identificados, um total de 10 estudos foram incluídos e analisados, dos quais 5 eram quasi-experiências, 4 eram observacionais/naturalísticos e apenas 1 era um ensaio randomizado controlado. Todas as quatro principais substâncias psicadélicas estiveram representadas. Todos os estudos avaliaram componentes e subcomponentes de pensamento divergente e/ou convergente, enquanto que apenas um avaliou produção criativa. Na maioria dos estudos, o pensamento divergente aumentou durante a fase aguda da toma da substância e o pensamento convergente aumentou a longo-prazo. Conclusões: Os psicadélicos aparentam ser substâncias capazes de elevar o pensamento divergente na fase aguda e o pensamento convergente nas fases posteriores. No entanto, esta evidência é ainda limitada tendo em conta o baixo número de estudos disponíveis, o reduzido tamanho da amostra, a ausência de ensaios randomizados controlados e limitações metodológicas significativas na maioria dos estudos. São discutidos possíveis mecanismos na base destes efeitos e sugestões para estudos futuros

Computational Creativity

In: Encyclopedia of Systems Biology, W. Dubitzky, O. Wolkenhauer, K-H Cho, H. Yokota (Eds.), Springer 2011Understanding brain processes behind creativity and modeling them using computational means is one of the grand challenges for systems biology. Computational creativity is a new field, inspired by cognitive psychology and neuroscience. In many respects human-level intelligence is far beyond what artificial intelligence can provide now, especially in regard to the high-level functions, involving thinking, reasoning, planning and the use of language. Intuition, insight, imagery and creativity are important aspects of all these functions

An Open Logic Approach to EPM

open2noEPM is a high operative and didactic versatile tool and new application areas are envisaged continuously. In turn, this new awareness has allowed to enlarge our panorama for neurocognitive system EPM is a high operative and didactic versatile tool and new application areas are envisaged continuosly. In turn, this new awareness has allowed to enlarge our panorama for neurocognitive system behavior understanding, and to develop information conservation and regeneration systems in a numeric self-reflexive/reflective evolutive reference framework. Unfortunately, a logically closed model cannot cope with ontological uncertainty by itself; it needs a complementary logical aperture operational support extension. To achieve this goal, it is possible to use two coupled irreducible information management subsystems, based on the following ideal coupled irreducible asymptotic dichotomy: "Information Reliable Predictability" and "Information Reliable Unpredictability" subsystems. To behave realistically, overall system must guarantee both Logical Closure and Logical Aperture, both fed by environmental "noise" (better… from what human beings call "noise"). So, a natural operating point can emerge as a new Trans-disciplinary Reality Level, out of the Interaction of Two Complementary Irreducible Information Management Subsystems within their environment. In this way, it is possible to extend the traditional EPM approach in order to profit by both classic EPM intrinsic Self-Reflexive Functional Logical Closure and new numeric CICT Self-Reflective Functional Logical Aperture. EPM can be thought as a reliable starting subsystem to initialize a process of continuous self-organizing and self-logic learning refinement. understanding, and to develop information conservation and regeneration systems in a numeric self-reflexive/reflective evolutive reference framework. Unfortunately, a logically closed model cannot cope with ontological uncertainty by itself; it needs a complementary logical aperture operational support extension. To achieve this goal, it is possible to use two coupled irreducible information management subsystems, based on the following ideal coupled irreducible asymptotic dichotomy: "Information Reliable Predictability" and "Information Reliable Unpredictability" subsystems. To behave realistically, overall system must guarantee both Logical Closure and Logical Aperture, both fed by environmental "noise" (better… from what human beings call "noise"). So, a natural operating point can emerge as a new Trans-disciplinary Reality Level, out of the Interaction of Two Complementary Irreducible Information Management Subsystems within their environment. In this way, it is possible to extend the traditional EPM approach in order to profit by both classic EPM intrinsic Self-Reflexive Functional Logical Closure and new numeric CICT Self-Reflective Functional Logical Aperture. EPM can be thought as a reliable starting subsystem to initialize a process of continuous self-organizing and self-logic learning refinement.Fiorini, Rodolfo; Degiacomo, PieroFiorini, Rodolfo; Degiacomo, Pier

Distinguishing Originality from Creativity in ADHD: An Assessment of Creative Personality, Self-Perception, and Cognitive Style among Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Adults

Debates over whether Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) relates to high levels of creativity have been hampered by a lack of rigor when defining creativity. The purpose of the present study was to go beyond the rhetoric by empirically investigating creative personality, creative self-perception, and cognitive style among 49 ADHD adults. Comparative analysis to studies of non-ADHD samples revealed distinctive tendencies: A mean group score of 115.71 (SD=18.02) on the Kirton Adaption-Innovation Inventory (KAI) indicated preferences for originality, nonconformity, paradigm-breaking, and low efficiency that was over one standard deviation higher than average non-ADHD population scores. Combined inattentive/hyperactiveimpulsive subtypes (n=20) scored 124.30 (SD=12.96). Ideator tendencies on Puccio’s FourSight indicated preferences for generating novel ideas and overlooking details. Adjective Check List (ACL) scores were slightly elevated on the Domino Creative Personality and Gough Creativity scales, but more so on the Change scale, indicating a tendency to seek novelty and avoid routine. Creative self-perception was high, with 85.71% reporting themselves as more creative than average. Although their dispositions toward originality might benefit creativity, it might be undermined by their disinclination for effectiveness necessary for full-fledged creativity. Results may help clinicians distinguish maladaptive ADHD behaviors from concomitant behaviors that might play a valuable role in creativity

Synaesthesia: a distinct entity that is an emergent feature of adaptive neurocognitive differences

In this article, I argue that synaesthesia is not on a continuum with neurotypical cognition. Synaesthesia is special: its phenomenology is different; it has distinct causal mechanisms; and is likely to be associated with a distinct neurocognitive profile. However, not all synaesthetes are the same, and there are quantifiable differences between them. In particular, the number of types of synaesthesia that a person possesses is a hitherto underappreciated variable that predicts cognitive differences along a number of dimensions (mental imagery, sensory sensitivity, attention to detail). Together with enhanced memory, this may constitute a common core of abilities that may go some way to explaining why synaesthesia might have evolved. I argue that the direct benefits of synaesthesia are generally limited (i.e. the synaesthetic associations do not convey novel information about the world) but, nevertheless, synaesthesia may develop due to other adaptive functions (e.g. perceptual ability, memory) that necessitate changes to design features of the brain. The article concludes by suggesting that synaesthesia forces us to reconsider what we mean by a ‘normal’ mind/brain. There may be multiple ‘normal’ neurodevelopmental trajectories that can sculpt very different ways of experiencing the world, of which synaesthesia is but one. This article is part of a discussion meeting issue ‘Bridging senses: novel insights from synaesthesia’

NEURAL RE-USE IN THE SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL BRAIN

ABSTRACT Presenting evidence from the social brain, we argue that neural re-use is a dynamic, socially organized process that is influenced ontogenetically and evolutionarily by the cultural transmission of mental techniques, values, and modes of thought. Anderson"s theory should be broadened to accommodate cultural effects on the functioning of architecturally similar neural systems, and the implications of these differences for re-use. Commentary on Anderso

Imagination + Imagery: A Model for Design Pedagogy

abstract: The Imagination + Imagery model for design pedagogy is presented. Two studies were conducted to develop the model: (a) the visual imagery assessment of design students; and (b) a historical research on the concept of imagination. Results suggest the following implications as the components of strong imagination for design thinkers: (a) the ability to shape vivid images of objects in mind; (b) the ability to mentally transform the spatial representations of images; (c) to consider the ethical consequences of imagined situation; (d) to use imagination for resolving design wicked problems; and (e) to actively imagine for mental and emotional health.Dissertation/ThesisMasters Thesis Design 201