CREATIVITY, summary of a New Scientist special featu Options

[Guest_Toumai_*]

CREATIVITY

What happens in our minds as we write? Why are some people more creative than others? New Scientist (29th October, 2005) had a special section on creativity in the arts and science. It is very well worth reading the full section if you can find it in the library (you don’t have to be a scientist to follow the discussion! ). I have picked a few of the most relevant ideas to summarise here. The original articles cite sources for the most recent and/or accepted research into creative processes.

Looking for Inspiration

Inspiration is hard to explain. We may be aware of the moment of insight, but the ideas may have been incubating for a long time.

Creativity is not the same as intelligence, though intelligence can channel the ideas to good use; creativity is more linked to personality. There are also links to mental illness; changes in mood state may spark a creative burst and some features of schizophrenia are more common in creative types with high scores in lateral, divergent and open thinking. The brains of creative people may be more open to incoming stimuli; not as much information is screened and blocked.

Creativity has two stages: inspiration and elaboration. In the first, while people are dreaming up an idea (a story, for example), the conscious mind is relaxed while the subconscious is making connections. The alpha brain wave activity is similar to that seen in some stages of sleep and relaxation. Once the story has been discovered the conscious brain activity increases to develop it. It seems that creativity depends on the ability to switch between these two states as required.

The brain’s frontal lobes become very active in a situation where complex creative processes are occurring. It is thought that this brain area co-ordinates activity and the flow of ideas. Where there are many possibilities for a story, it helps select the most promising lines: a conscious evaluation of ideas.

The most creative people are aware of their creative potential and make the most of it by using the rhythms of the day, the weekend and holidays to focus. They may work at their desk for a while then go for a walk, because they know that works for them.

Finally, for creativity you need at least one other person in your life who doesn’t think you are completely nuts.

MUSic

In an interview Alex Kapranos (of Franz Ferdinand) explained that there are two different stages of writing a song: an initial creative splurge and then a stage of chopping it about and arranging it. “The best songs come straight out …. You’re trying to control something but you’re not quite sure which direction it’s going … The actual writing …is fairly easy. It feels really exciting. You loose your sense of where you are. But the second process is very ruthless and cold because you have to cut away things that you’re attached to.”

“The Midnight Disease”: hypergraphia

Alice Flaherty, a neurologist, lost premature twins and started writing compulsively. If she were deprived of paper she would write on her own body – anything, so long as she could write.

Such compulsive creativity may be linked to unusual activity in the brain’s temporal lobes. There are links with temporal lobe epilepsy (Dostoevsky syndrome), front-temporal dementia and mood disorders. The behaviour of blocked/depressed people is often similar to those who have frontal lobe injuries. Frontal lobe activity increases in creative people who are actively seeking a creative idea.

“There is mounting evidence that the front-to-back communication between the frontal and the temporal lobes is more important for creativity than the left brain-right brain model of the 1970s.”

Fran

[Guest_Toumai_*]

Hi Nina

Thanks for summarising this article for us, most interesting.

You're welcome; thanks for joining in and commenting

>F>Inspiration is hard to explain. We may be aware of the moment of insight, but the ideas may have been incubating for a long time.

in other words they have no idea about how inspiration works.

LOL

>F>Creativity is not the same as intelligence, though intelligence can channel the ideas to good use; creativity is more linked to personality. There are also links to mental illness; changes in mood state may spark a creative burst and some features of schizophrenia are more common in creative types with high scores in lateral, divergent and open thinking. The brains of creative people may be more open to incoming stimuli; not as much information is screened and blocked.

What has intelligence got to do with creativity.  I agree that the high in mental illness can spark creativity.  After all hallucinations and hearing voices is very creative.

Yes, "visulisation" (which I will admit to) is not that far off from visions. The only difference is the awareness that it is internal and self-generated - and an element of control.

>J>Yes. But, conversely, creative people find it harder to zero-in on things.

James, you are probably right.  How many very creative people are thought of as eccentric.  Einstein, a brilliant man had problems with practical things like shaving.

The original absent-minded scientist, LOL

>F>Creativity has two stages: inspiration and elaboration. In the first, while people are dreaming up an idea (a story, for example), the conscious mind is relaxed while the subconscious is making connections. The alpha brain wave activity is similar to that seen in some stages of sleep and relaxation. Once the story has been discovered the conscious brain activity increases to develop it. It seems that creativity depends on the ability to switch between these two states as required.

I agree that the subconscious mind is where the inspiration comes from but I don't necessarily think that subconscious and conscious minds are mutually exclusive.  Both can work at the same time.  I find my ideas come when I am either writing or typing.  Take the flash-jams.  I usually have no idea what I'm going to write about when I start.  I begin by consciously describing the stimulus and at the same time my subconscious comes up with the idea.  

When I do the ten word challenges, the conscious act of reading the letters can spark off ideas or just playing around with phrases, putting two words together can give inspiration.

I'd agree; and having read or watched interviews with quite a few writers now I think that the switching can be very speedy indeed (microseconds) - and of course, there is no awareness of the switches. I was very disapointed the first time I did a flash session - I'd been warned it would be an intense experience and my creativity would feel different; but since I'm used to meditating and have written for ages it didn't register as anything new ... c'est la vie.

>F>The brain’s frontal lobes become very active in a situation where complex creative processes are occurring. It is thought that this brain area co-ordinates activity and the flow of ideas. Where there are many possibilities for a story, it helps select the most promising lines: a conscious evaluation of ideas.

Now this is interesting.  It is the first time I have read of frontal lobe activity rather than left/right side of the brain.

Me too.
So now we can sound like we're really up to date with psych research next time someone mentions L/R effects

>F>The most creative people are aware of their creative potential and make the most of it by using the rhythms of the day, the weekend and holidays to focus. They may work at their desk for a while then go for a walk, because they know that works for them.

James, I agree with your comments on this, definitely a value judgement.  I would think that he is talking about controlled creativity, almost forcing yourself to be creative.  The "most creative people" wouldn't need to set themselves into a situation where they can induce creativity.  It would come to them uninivited.  Mind you I reckon those people are all swallowing chemicals to block out that creativity or else are sectioned somewhere.

Hey, but if people take drugs to enhance that spark - to really push it to the max - why not use the body's natural inclinations? I know there's no point in trying to start a poem at bedtime but I'll leap out of bed at 4 in the morning (well, maybe not in this weather) if one comes to mind then.

>F>Finally, for creativity you need at least one other person in your life who doesn’t think you are completely nuts.

why?

We all need some kind of support and encouragement. Why do so many of us join web sites? Cos its less lonely (and we can swap tips).

MUSic

>F>In an interview Alex Kapranos (of Franz Ferdinand) explained that there are two different stages of writing a song: an initial creative splurge and then a stage of chopping it about and arranging it. “The best songs come straight out …. You’re trying to control something but you’re not quite sure which direction it’s going … The actual writing …is fairly easy. It feels really exciting. You loose your sense of where you are. But the second process is very ruthless and cold because you have to cut away things that you’re attached to.”

That is very true.

Do you ever forget to get off your bus at the right stop?

“The Midnight Disease”: hypergraphia

>F>Alice Flaherty, a neurologist, lost premature twins and started writing compulsively. If she were deprived of paper she would write on her own body – anything, so long as she could write.

now that is mania/mental illness

Certainly a form of, yes.

>F>Such compulsive creativity may be linked to unusual activity in the brain’s temporal lobes. There are links with temporal lobe epilepsy (Dostoevsky syndrome), front-temporal dementia and mood disorders. The behaviour of blocked/depressed people is often similar to those who have frontal lobe injuries. Frontal lobe activity increases in creative people who are actively seeking a creative idea.

I think this is an interesting possibility which could if proved maybe lead to better treatment for mental illness.  Could one stimulate frontal lobe activity in some one who is very depressed and bring them out of depression.  Alternatively could one somehow calm down frontal lobe activity on someone who is manic in order to stabalise them.

I would guess that "they" are working on such things; the problem is how to target certain areas in the brain very specifically as it is so hard to get into without side effects.

Thanks so much Nina.

Fran