(In)attention for creativity: Unraveling the neural and cognitive aspects of (mathematical) creativity in children

In the current classroom climate, and more specifically in the domain of mathematics, there is a large focus on learning standardized knowledge and procedures, convergent thinking, and focused attention while divergent thinking, creativity, and the possible benefits of distractibility do not receive enough attention. This doctoral thesis aims to close the gap between the value that is placed on creativity and the necessity of divergent thinking skills in contemporary society on the one hand and the lack of stimulation of creativity in mathematics education on the other hand. In addition, we propose that a certain degree of distractibility and reduced inhibition might be beneficial for creativity and should thus also be fostered during primary education. Our research focused on primary school children between 8 and 13 years old and demonstrates that response inhibition has a moderating role between mathematical ability and mathematical creativity. Moreover, when the contribution of the executive functions updating, shifting, and inhibition are all taken into account, we found that only updating has a significant relation to mathematical creativity. Furthermore, our findings show that while sensory gating, as a measure of subconscious attentional processes, only plays a marginal role in facilitating creativity, reduced cognitive control, as a measure of conscious attention, does seem to be beneficial for creativity. In addition, our findings revealed that attentional difficulties are related to specific attentional impairments in cognitive control. Based on these findings a new model of creative cognition and implications for education are propose

Van afleiding tot oplossing: De relatie tussen rekenkundige creativiteit en aandachtsprocessen

Marije Stolte onderzocht in haar promotieonderzoek wat de samenhang is tussen verschillende aandachtsprocessen, creativiteit en rekenen/wiskunde. Ze voerde haar onderzoek uit bij basisschoolleerlingen tussen de 8 en 13 jaar oud. De resultaten laten zien dat de wijze waarop verminderde inhibitie samenhangt met (rekenkundige) creativiteit onder andere afhangt van de hoeveelheid basale reken wiskunde vaardigheden waar een kind al over beschikt. Ook laat het onderzoek zien dat verschillende soorten aandacht verschillende aspecten van creativiteit beïnvloeden

(In)attention for creativity: Unraveling the neural and cognitive aspects of (mathematical) creativity in children

In the current classroom climate, and more specifically in the domain of mathematics, there is a large focus on learning standardized knowledge and procedures, convergent thinking, and focused attention while divergent thinking, creativity, and the possible benefits of distractibility do not receive enough attention. This doctoral thesis aims to close the gap between the value that is placed on creativity and the necessity of divergent thinking skills in contemporary society on the one hand and the lack of stimulation of creativity in mathematics education on the other hand. In addition, we propose that a certain degree of distractibility and reduced inhibition might be beneficial for creativity and should thus also be fostered during primary education. Our research focused on primary school children between 8 and 13 years old and demonstrates that response inhibition has a moderating role between mathematical ability and mathematical creativity. Moreover, when the contribution of the executive functions updating, shifting, and inhibition are all taken into account, we found that only updating has a significant relation to mathematical creativity. Furthermore, our findings show that while sensory gating, as a measure of subconscious attentional processes, only plays a marginal role in facilitating creativity, reduced cognitive control, as a measure of conscious attention, does seem to be beneficial for creativity. In addition, our findings revealed that attentional difficulties are related to specific attentional impairments in cognitive control. Based on these findings a new model of creative cognition and implications for education are propose

Van afleiding tot oplossing: De relatie tussen rekenkundige creativiteit en aandachtsprocessen

Marije Stolte onderzocht in haar promotieonderzoek wat de samenhang is tussen verschillende aandachtsprocessen, creativiteit en rekenen/wiskunde. Ze voerde haar onderzoek uit bij basisschoolleerlingen tussen de 8 en 13 jaar oud. De resultaten laten zien dat de wijze waarop verminderde inhibitie samenhangt met (rekenkundige) creativiteit onder andere afhangt van de hoeveelheid basale reken wiskunde vaardigheden waar een kind al over beschikt. Ook laat het onderzoek zien dat verschillende soorten aandacht verschillende aspecten van creativiteit beïnvloeden

Prepulse Inhibition and P50 Suppression in Relation to Creativity and Attention: Dispersed Attention Beneficial to Quantitative but Not Qualitative Measures of Divergent Thinking

The current study investigated whether lower sensory and sensorimotor gating were related to higher levels of creativity and/or attentional difficulties in a natural population of primary school children (9- to 13-year-old). Gating abilities were measured with P50 suppression and prepulse inhibition of the startle reflex (PPI). The final sample included 65 participants in the P50 analyses and 37 participants in the PPI analyses. Our results showed that children with a high P50 amplitude to testing stimuli scored significantly higher on the divergent outcome measures of fluency and flexibility but not originality compared to children with a lower amplitude. No significant differences were found on any of the creativity measures when the sample was split on average PPI parameters. No significant differences in attention, as measured with a parent questionnaire, were found between children with low or high levels of sensory or sensorimotor gating. The data suggest that quantitative, but not qualitative measures of divergent thinking benefit from lower psychophysiological gating and that attentional difficulties stem from specific instead of general gating deficits. Future studies should take the effect of controlled attention into consideration

Inhibition, friend or foe? Cognitive inhibition as a moderator between mathematical ability and mathematical creativity in primary school students

It is still unclear which cognitive factors stand at the base of mathematical creativity. One factor could be inhibition, but results are inconsistent. A possible explanation is that this relation is more complex than the direct relations tested, until now. In the current study, the hypothesis was tested that cognitive inhibition moderated the relationship between mathematical ability and mathematical creativity. The sample included 82 primary school students between 8 and 12 years of age. Mathematical creativity was measured with a multiple solution task and scored on fluency, flexibility, and originality. While there was a direct relation between mathematical ability and mathematical creativity, inhibition did not have a direct effect on mathematical creativity, but it positively moderated this relationship for flexibility and originality. These results indicate that reduced inhibition strengthens the relationship between mathematical ability and mathematical flexibility and between mathematical ability and mathematical originality, but not the relation between mathematical ability and mathematical fluency. These findings are discussed in relation to children with high and low mathematical abilities, measurement of inhibition, and the domain-general/domain-specific discussion of creativity

Characterizing Creative Thinking and Creative Achievements in Relation to Symptoms of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Autism Spectrum Disorder

Previous research on ADHD and ASD has mainly focused on the deficits associated with these conditions, but there is also evidence for strengths. Unfortunately, our understanding of potential strengths in neurodevelopmental conditions is limited. One particular strength, creativity, has been associated with both ADHD and ASD. However, the distinct presentations of both conditions beg the question whether ADHD and ASD associate with the same or different aspects of creativity. Therefore, the current study investigated the links between ADHD and ASD symptoms, creative thinking abilities, and creative achievements. To investigate the spectrum of ADHD and ASD symptoms, self-reported ADHD and ASD symptoms, convergent (Remote Associations Test) and divergent thinking (Alternative Uses Task) and creative achievements (Creative Achievement Questionnaire) were assessed in a self-reportedly healthy sample of adults (n = 470). We performed correlation analysis to investigate the relation between ADHD/ASD symptoms and creativity measures. In a second phase of analysis, data from an adult ADHD case-control study (n = 151) were added to investigate the association between ADHD symptoms and divergent thinking in individuals with and without a diagnosis of ADHD. Our analysis revealed that having more ADHD symptoms in the general population was associated with higher scores on all the outcome measures for divergent thinking (fluency, flexibility, and originality), but not for convergent thinking. Individuals with an ADHD diagnosis in the case-control sample also scored higher on measures of divergent thinking. Combining data of the population based and case-control studies showed that ADHD symptoms predict divergent thinking up to a certain level of symptoms. No significant associations were found between the total number of ASD symptoms and any of the creativity measures. However, explorative analyses showed interesting links between the ASD subdomains of problems with imagination and symptoms that relate to social difficulties. Our findings showed a link between ADHD symptoms and divergent thinking abilities that plateaus in the clinical spectrum of symptoms. For ASD symptoms, no relation was found with creativity measures. Increasing the knowledge about positive phenotypes associated with neurodevelopmental conditions and their symptom dimensions might aid psychoeducation, decrease stigmatization and improve quality of life of individuals living with such conditions

Characterizing Creative Thinking and Creative Achievements in Relation to Symptoms of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Autism Spectrum Disorder

Previous research on ADHD and ASD has mainly focused on the deficits associated with these conditions, but there is also evidence for strengths. Unfortunately, our understanding of potential strengths in neurodevelopmental conditions is limited. One particular strength, creativity, has been associated with both ADHD and ASD. However, the distinct presentations of both conditions beg the question whether ADHD and ASD associate with the same or different aspects of creativity. Therefore, the current study investigated the links between ADHD and ASD symptoms, creative thinking abilities, and creative achievements. To investigate the spectrum of ADHD and ASD symptoms, self-reported ADHD and ASD symptoms, convergent (Remote Associations Test) and divergent thinking (Alternative Uses Task) and creative achievements (Creative Achievement Questionnaire) were assessed in a self-reportedly healthy sample of adults (n = 470). We performed correlation analysis to investigate the relation between ADHD/ASD symptoms and creativity measures. In a second phase of analysis, data from an adult ADHD case-control study (n = 151) were added to investigate the association between ADHD symptoms and divergent thinking in individuals with and without a diagnosis of ADHD. Our analysis revealed that having more ADHD symptoms in the general population was associated with higher scores on all the outcome measures for divergent thinking (fluency, flexibility, and originality), but not for convergent thinking. Individuals with an ADHD diagnosis in the case-control sample also scored higher on measures of divergent thinking. Combining data of the population based and case-control studies showed that ADHD symptoms predict divergent thinking up to a certain level of symptoms. No significant associations were found between the total number of ASD symptoms and any of the creativity measures. However, explorative analyses showed interesting links between the ASD subdomains of problems with imagination and symptoms that relate to social difficulties. Our findings showed a link between ADHD symptoms and divergent thinking abilities that plateaus in the clinical spectrum of symptoms. For ASD symptoms, no relation was found with creativity measures. Increasing the knowledge about positive phenotypes associated with neurodevelopmental conditions and their symptom dimensions might aid psychoeducation, decrease stigmatization and improve quality of life of individuals living with such conditions

Inhibition, friend or foe? Cognitive inhibition as a moderator between mathematical ability and mathematical creativity in primary school students

It is still unclear which cognitive factors stand at the base of mathematical creativity. One factor could be inhibition, but results are inconsistent. A possible explanation is that this relation is more complex than the direct relations tested, until now. In the current study, the hypothesis was tested that cognitive inhibition moderated the relationship between mathematical ability and mathematical creativity. The sample included 82 primary school students between 8 and 12 years of age. Mathematical creativity was measured with a multiple solution task and scored on fluency, flexibility, and originality. While there was a direct relation between mathematical ability and mathematical creativity, inhibition did not have a direct effect on mathematical creativity, but it positively moderated this relationship for flexibility and originality. These results indicate that reduced inhibition strengthens the relationship between mathematical ability and mathematical flexibility and between mathematical ability and mathematical originality, but not the relation between mathematical ability and mathematical fluency. These findings are discussed in relation to children with high and low mathematical abilities, measurement of inhibition, and the domain-general/domain-specific discussion of creativity

Prepulse Inhibition and P50 Suppression in Relation to Creativity and Attention: Dispersed Attention Beneficial to Quantitative but Not Qualitative Measures of Divergent Thinking

The current study investigated whether lower sensory and sensorimotor gating were related to higher levels of creativity and/or attentional difficulties in a natural population of primary school children (9- to 13-year-old). Gating abilities were measured with P50 suppression and prepulse inhibition of the startle reflex (PPI). The final sample included 65 participants in the P50 analyses and 37 participants in the PPI analyses. Our results showed that children with a high P50 amplitude to testing stimuli scored significantly higher on the divergent outcome measures of fluency and flexibility but not originality compared to children with a lower amplitude. No significant differences were found on any of the creativity measures when the sample was split on average PPI parameters. No significant differences in attention, as measured with a parent questionnaire, were found between children with low or high levels of sensory or sensorimotor gating. The data suggest that quantitative, but not qualitative measures of divergent thinking benefit from lower psychophysiological gating and that attentional difficulties stem from specific instead of general gating deficits. Future studies should take the effect of controlled attention into consideration