Secrets of CREATIVITY Secrets of CREATIVITY

Bidisha SenguptaBidisha Sengupta

CREATIVITY: A CREATIVITY: A Neuroscientist’s ViewNeuroscientist’s View

The ability to produce work that is novel (original & The ability to produce work that is novel (original & unexpected) and appropriate (useful, adaptive unexpected) and appropriate (useful, adaptive considering task constrainst)considering task constrainst)

Ability to break conventional pattern of thinking, adapt Ability to break conventional pattern of thinking, adapt new or higher order of combinations and think new or higher order of combinations and think conceptually and abstractlyconceptually and abstractly

Not a mysterious concept, integrated with normal Not a mysterious concept, integrated with normal mental process and hence, explainable by Neurosciencemental process and hence, explainable by Neuroscience

Assumption: Neural circuits involved in creative Assumption: Neural circuits involved in creative thinking, same as that of noncreative thinkingthinking, same as that of noncreative thinking

Prefrontal cortex: Central structure for creative thinkingPrefrontal cortex: Central structure for creative thinking

BRAIN STRUCTUREBRAIN STRUCTURE

FRONTAL LOBE

PARIETAL LOBE

TEMPORAL LOBE

OCCIPITAL

LOBE

TOP (Temporal-Occipital-Parietal) Lobe: TOP (Temporal-Occipital-Parietal) Lobe: Responsible for processing information and Responsible for processing information and storing them for long termstoring them for long term

Frontal Lobe: Integrates highly processed Frontal Lobe: Integrates highly processed information, processes to still higher cognitive information, processes to still higher cognitive functions ( self-consciousness, social behavior, functions ( self-consciousness, social behavior, planning, abstract thinking etc.), not directly planning, abstract thinking etc.), not directly connected to sensorsconnected to sensors

Two parts of Frontal Lobe functional in Creativity:Two parts of Frontal Lobe functional in Creativity:• Prefrontal cortex: Anterior half of frontal lobe, Prefrontal cortex: Anterior half of frontal lobe,

stores short term memory (working memory), stores short term memory (working memory), supports sustained attention, processing of supports sustained attention, processing of informationinformation

• Attentional system: Search Engine, selectively Attentional system: Search Engine, selectively filters content in working memory according to filters content in working memory according to person’s values and cultureperson’s values and culture

Creativity ProcessCreativity Process Creativity occurs in two ways:Creativity occurs in two ways:

• Through Deliberate thinkingThrough Deliberate thinking• SpontaneouslySpontaneously

DELIBERATE CREATIVE THINKINGDELIBERATE CREATIVE THINKING

• Attentional system of Prefrontal cortex ‘pulls’ Attentional system of Prefrontal cortex ‘pulls’ task relevant information consistent with the task relevant information consistent with the person’s own values, culture and experience, person’s own values, culture and experience, from long term storage in TOPfrom long term storage in TOP

• Working memory temporarily stores the Working memory temporarily stores the informationinformation

• Prefrontal cortex uses its cognitive flexibity and Prefrontal cortex uses its cognitive flexibity and abilities to superimpose the online information abilities to superimpose the online information to form new combinationsto form new combinations

• More nimble the prefrontal cortex, more More nimble the prefrontal cortex, more capable it is of playing with new combinations capable it is of playing with new combinations

SPONTANEOUS CREATIVE THINKINGSPONTANEOUS CREATIVE THINKING• More often, creative thinking occurs during More often, creative thinking occurs during

diminished mental arousal(ex: Sleep)diminished mental arousal(ex: Sleep)• Not initiated by prefrontal database searches, Not initiated by prefrontal database searches,

thoughts unguided by societal norms and thoughts unguided by societal norms and conventional rationalityconventional rationality

• Loosely connected association of thoughts due Loosely connected association of thoughts due to unsystematic drifting and gathering of to unsystematic drifting and gathering of thoughtsthoughts

• Entails and element of chanceEntails and element of chance• Underlying mechanism for creative thoughts Underlying mechanism for creative thoughts

occuring during sleepoccuring during sleep• Explains intuitionExplains intuition

DreamingDreaming: Extreme form of Spontaneous creativity: Extreme form of Spontaneous creativity• Involves flow of unregulated, unlimited Involves flow of unregulated, unlimited

combination formations unassociated to combination formations unassociated to conventional wisdomconventional wisdom

• Can give out insights, otherwise difficult to come Can give out insights, otherwise difficult to come byby

KnowledgeKnowledge: Mainly not related to creativity. : Mainly not related to creativity. Primarily stored in TOP areas, creativity in Frontal Primarily stored in TOP areas, creativity in Frontal areaarea• Doesn’t constitute creativityDoesn’t constitute creativity• Person with encyclopedic memory might not be Person with encyclopedic memory might not be

creative enough to use itcreative enough to use it

Creativity: Sudden Flash? Or Creativity: Sudden Flash? Or Chain of Thoughts?Chain of Thoughts?

3Bs (Bath-tub, Bed, Bus): Places where ideas 3Bs (Bath-tub, Bed, Bus): Places where ideas suddenly and famously emerge!!suddenly and famously emerge!!

In 1990, a team of NASA scientists was trying to In 1990, a team of NASA scientists was trying to fix the distorted lenses in the Hubble telescopefix the distorted lenses in the Hubble telescope• Already in orbit. An expert in optics suggested Already in orbit. An expert in optics suggested

that tiny inversely distorted mirrors could that tiny inversely distorted mirrors could correct the images, but nobody could figure out correct the images, but nobody could figure out how to fit them into the hard-to-reach space how to fit them into the hard-to-reach space inside. Engineer Jim Crocker, while taking a inside. Engineer Jim Crocker, while taking a shower, noticed the European-style showerhead shower, noticed the European-style showerhead mounted on adjustable rods. mounted on adjustable rods.

• Realized the Hubble's little mirrors could be Realized the Hubble's little mirrors could be extended into the telescope by mounting them extended into the telescope by mounting them on similar folding arms. And this flash was the on similar folding arms. And this flash was the key to fixing the problem key to fixing the problem

On Dec. 8, 1903, Samuel Pierpont Langley, a On Dec. 8, 1903, Samuel Pierpont Langley, a leading government-funded scientist, launched leading government-funded scientist, launched flying machine which plummeted into the riverflying machine which plummeted into the river

Nine days later, Orville and Wilbur Wright got the Nine days later, Orville and Wilbur Wright got the first plane off the groundfirst plane off the ground

Langley failed because he hired other people to Langley failed because he hired other people to execute his conceptexecute his concept

Studying the Wrights' diaries, it can be observed Studying the Wrights' diaries, it can be observed that insight and execution are inextricably woven that insight and execution are inextricably woven togethertogether

Over years, problem solving like wing shape and Over years, problem solving like wing shape and wing twisting, each adjustment involved a small wing twisting, each adjustment involved a small spark of insight that led to othersspark of insight that led to others

Does Brain activity differ for Does Brain activity differ for Creative and Non-Creative?Creative and Non-Creative?

Study led by John Kounios, professor of Study led by John Kounios, professor of Psychology at Drexel University and Mark Psychology at Drexel University and Mark Jung-Beeman of Northwestern University Jung-Beeman of Northwestern University compared the brain activity of creative compared the brain activity of creative and noncreative problem solversand noncreative problem solvers

Results:Results:• Creative thinkers use right side of the Creative thinkers use right side of the

brain more actively, during problem brain more actively, during problem solving and rest also solving and rest also

• Creative thinkers showed diffused visual Creative thinkers showed diffused visual attention while methodical thinkers attention while methodical thinkers showed focused visual attention showed focused visual attention

Tell me the color of the Tell me the color of the words rapidly!!words rapidly!!

GREEN YELLOW BLUE ORANGEWHITE RED GREEN BLUE ORANGEYELLOW WHITE GREEN RED BLUEWHITE GREEN ORANGE YELLOWORANGE BLUE GREEN RED WHITEYELLOW RED BLUE YELLOWORANGE RED WHITE BROWN WHITE

“ “ Take risks, and expect to make lots of mistakes, Take risks, and expect to make lots of mistakes, because creativity is a numbers game. Work hard, and because creativity is a numbers game. Work hard, and take frequent breaks, but stay with it over time. Do take frequent breaks, but stay with it over time. Do what you love, because creative breakthroughs take what you love, because creative breakthroughs take years of hard work. Develop a network of colleagues, years of hard work. Develop a network of colleagues, and schedule time for freewheeling, unstructured and schedule time for freewheeling, unstructured discussions. Most of all, forget those romantic myths discussions. Most of all, forget those romantic myths that creativity is all about being artsy and gifted and that creativity is all about being artsy and gifted and not about hard work. They discourage us because not about hard work. They discourage us because we're waiting for that one full-blown moment of we're waiting for that one full-blown moment of inspiration. And while we're waiting, we may never inspiration. And while we're waiting, we may never start working on what we might someday create”start working on what we might someday create”

-Washington University psychologist R. Keith Sawyer -Washington University psychologist R. Keith Sawyer

THANK YOUTHANK YOU