Research article summary (published 29 Apr 2007):

Creativity meets neuroscience: experimental tasks for the neuroscientific study of creative thinking.

Full Abstract

The psychometric assessment of different facets of creative abilities as well as the availability of experimental tasks for the neuroscientific study of creative thinking has replaced the view of creativity as an unsearchable trait. In this article we provide a brief overview of contemporary methodologies used for the operationalization of creative thinking in a neuroscientific context. Empirical studies are reported which measured brain activity (by means of EEG, fMRI, NIRS or PET) during the performance of different experimental tasks. These tasks, along with creative idea generation tasks used in our laboratory, constitute useful tools in uncovering possible brain correlates of creative thinking. Nevertheless, much more work is needed in order to establish reliable and valid measures of creative thinking, in particular measures of novelty or originality of creative insights.

Author information

Author/s: Fink, Andreas (A); Benedek, Mathias (M); Grabner, Roland H (RH); Staudt, Beate (B); Neubauer, Aljoscha C (AC);

Affiliation: Institute of Psychology, University of Graz, Universitaetsplatz 2/III, A-8010 Graz, Austria. andreas.fink(-atsign-)uni-graz.at

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't; Review

Journal: Methods (San Diego, Calif.) (Methods), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2007-May; vol 42 (issue 1) : pp 68-76

Dates: Created 2007/04/16; Completed 2007/06/21;

PMID: 17434417, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 2/18/2009, IMS Date: )

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

External Links for this article
(including full text providers, if available):

Click Electronic Full-text Provider Links to see options for finding the electronic full text links to this article. Note there may be a subscription or fee required for access to the full text. See our FAQ for information on finding FREE full text articles.

This article may also be located in paper journal collections available in many libraries. Use the Journal and Publication Information above to find the full article.

MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Cognition Cognitive Science - methods Creativeness Electroencephalography Humans Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Magnetic Resonance Imaging Neurosciences - methods Positron-Emission Tomography Psychometrics - methods Spectroscopy, Near-Infrared Task Performance and Analysis

Related articles

These are the highest related articles currently in the database:

• Studying insight problem solving with neuroscientific methods. 29 Apr 2007
• Methods for investigating the neural components of insight. 29 Apr 2007
• Modeling developmental cognitive neuroscience. 15 Apr 2006
• Making the unconscious conscious, and vice versa: a bi-directional bridge between neuroscience/cognitive science and psychotherapy? 29 Sep 2005
• The mismatch negativity in cognitive and clinical neuroscience: theoretical and methodological considerations. 15 Jul 2006
• Is self special? A critical review of evidence from experimental psychology and cognitive neuroscience. 30 Dec 2004
• Current methodology and methods in psychophysiological studies of creative thinking. 29 Apr 2007
• Creative cognition: the diverse operations and the prospect of applying a cognitive neuroscience perspective. 29 Apr 2007
• Who's afraid of a cognitive neuroscience of creativity? 29 Apr 2007
• [Emotional dysfunction, psychopathy and cognitive neuroscience. What is new and what are the consequences] 29 Apr 2005

See 100+ related articles.

Related Article Map

Legend: - FREE Full text Article. - Abstract only. - Title only. More help.

See a large map of 100+ related articles.