Afleveringen
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"To create or to recall? Neural mechanisms underlying the generation of creative new ideas" by Mathias Benedek, Emanuel Jauk, Andreas Fink, Karl Koschutnig, Gernot Reishofer, Franz Ebner, Aljoscha C. Neubauer
This research paper investigates the neural mechanisms underlying the generation of creative new ideas. By using fMRI to examine brain activity during a divergent thinking task, the authors contrast the brain activity associated with generating novel ideas against that of retrieving ideas from memory. The study finds that the generation of new ideas is associated with stronger activation in the left inferior parietal cortex, a brain region known to be involved in mental simulation and imagining future possibilities. In contrast, the retrieval of old ideas relies more heavily on areas of the medial temporal lobe, which is associated with declarative memory. The study also explores the role of the left inferior frontal gyrus in executive processes involved in inhibiting dominant but uncreative responses, suggesting that this region may play a key role in facilitating the generation of highly original ideas.
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"The Value-Orientations of Art Students as Determinants of Artistic Specialization and Creative Performance" J. W. Getzels and M. Csikszentmihalyi
This research article from the Studies in Art Education journal examines the value orientations of art students and their relation to artistic specialisation and creative performance. The authors, J. W. Getzels and M. Csikszentmihalyi, conducted a study at a prestigious art school, using the Allport-Vernon-Lindzey Study of Values to measure value orientations and exploring how these values correlate with measures of intelligence, divergent thinking, and creative performance. They found that art students tend to have higher Aesthetic and lower Economic and Social values than students in other fields. Notably, the study revealed that female art students' values were more closely linked to their father's educational level and their cognitive style.
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"Imagery, Creativity, and Emergent Structure" by Ronald. A. Finke
This paper, by Ronald A. Finke, explores the cognitive processes involved in creative thinking, specifically focusing on the role of mental imagery. It argues that creative thinking involves a combination of structured and unstructured processes, reviewing recent studies demonstrating that novel ideas can arise from the deliberate manipulation of mental images, as well as from spontaneous, unexpected insights. The author proposes the geneplore model of creative cognition, outlining how generative and exploratory processes interact to produce creative outputs. He further contrasts structured imagination, which draws on familiar knowledge and patterns, with the more spontaneous and unpredictable nature of chaotic thinking. Ultimately, the paper advocates for a balance between these two approaches, suggesting that creative thinking that effectively combines structured and unstructured elements is the most effective, leading to creative realism.
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"Creative flow as optimized processing: Evidence from brain oscillations during jazz improvisations by expert and non-expert musicians" by David Rosen , Yongtaek Oh , Christine Chesebrough , Fengqing (Zoe) Zhang , John Kounios
This research paper examines the neural correlates of the flow experience in expert and non-expert jazz guitarists during improvisation. The authors contrast two hypotheses: flow as a state of optimized task-specific processing resulting from practice, and flow as a state of heightened domain-general associative ideation. The study uses electroencephalography (EEG) recordings to analyse brain activity during improvisation and relate it to self-reported flow states and performance quality. The results suggest that flow is associated with reduced activity in the default-mode network (DMN) and increased activity in modality-specific brain areas, especially for experienced musicians. The study provides evidence supporting the view that flow represents optimized domain-specific processing enabled by extensive practice and reduced cognitive control.
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"Figuring Death, Figuring Creativity" by Günter Blamberger
This excerpt is an academic essay exploring the concept of "morphomata," which refers to the enduring impact of cultural artefacts, regardless of their historical or geographical origin. Blamberger argues that cultural knowledge is not confined to abstract concepts, but is embodied in concrete forms that are constantly being reinterpreted and reimagined. Using examples from literature, art, and philosophy, he demonstrates how aesthetic ideas—such as melancholy genius and the creative process—are passed down through generations and across cultures, highlighting the interplay between the creative imagination and the medium of expression. His work encourages a cross-cultural approach to understanding cultural artefacts, fostering dialogue and critical analysis of how these enduring forms continue to shape our understanding of the world.
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"The Creative Turn: Towards a New Aesthetic Imaginary" by Anne Harris
The book explores the concept of creativity in the 21st century, examining how it has shifted from its focus on artistic expression to a more commercially driven, innovation-based approach. Harris argues that this "creative turn" is largely driven by the rise of digital technologies and the dominance of neoliberal economies. The text provides examples of these shifts in various domains, including education, arts, and technology. Harris critiques the commodification of creativity, advocating for a return to an aesthetic-driven approach that values artistic expression and individual exploration, rather than solely focusing on commercial success and productivity. The book also explores the challenges and opportunities of embracing diversity and inclusivity in creative spaces, particularly for marginalized groups.
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"A study of cognitive factor sequences and relations to creativity quality levels" by Yuan Yin & Peter R. N. Childs
This research paper examines the sequence of cognitive factors and their impact on the quality of creative design solutions. The study uses a think-aloud method with 71 participants, who completed a design task while verbalising their thought processes. The researchers analysed the participants' cognitive factor sequences and then correlated these with the creativity quality levels of their designs as assessed by expert judges. The findings suggest that certain sequences of cognitive factors, such as semantic memory, common association, remote association, episodic memory, and remote combination, are more likely to lead to higher creativity quality levels. Furthermore, the study indicates that the repetition of the same cognitive factor, particularly semantic memory, does not necessarily contribute to higher creativity, and that the more cognitive factors involved in a design process, the higher the potential for creative quality.
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"A Dynamic Definition of Creativity" by Chetan Walia
This article from the Creativity Research Journal critically examines the existing definitions of creativity, arguing that most definitions fail to account for the dynamic process of creativity itself, focusing instead solely on its end product – a creative outcome, or "creation". The author proposes a dynamic definition of creativity, emphasizing the act of creating, which involves perceiving disequilibrium in one’s environment, engaging in productive activity, and challenging conventional thought patterns. This new definition acknowledges that creativity can exist even when it does not result in a tangible product, and emphasizes the importance of understanding the dynamic interplay between a person's traits, the environment, and the process of creation.
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The provided text excerpts come from the book, "The Database of Dreams," by historian and anthropologist Rebecca Lemov. The book tells the story of an ambitious project that began in the mid-20th century to compile a universal collection of social science data, including dreams, life histories, and psychological test results. The book explores the development of this project through the efforts of a group of researchers led by Bert Kaplan, who sought to store this data on Microcards, a revolutionary new format for miniature storage. The book details the motivations, challenges, and ultimately the eventual decline of this project, placing it in the context of the broader historical developments of social science, data collection, and technology in the mid-20th century.
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"Challenge in artistic flow experiences: an interdisciplinary intervention" by Janet Banfield
This article, published in the journal Qualitative Research in Psychology, explores the psychological phenomenon of flow through the lens of artistic practice. The author, Janet Banfield, argues that the traditional understanding of flow as an inherently positive experience characterised by a balance between skills and challenge does not accurately reflect the experiences of artists. Instead, Banfield proposes that flow in artistic practice is often associated with periods of frustration, self-doubt, and anxiety, stemming from the unpredictable and dynamic nature of the creative process. The article further examines the crucial role played by materiality and the artist’s relationship with their tools and materials in shaping both the challenge and the potential for flow.
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"The role of graded category structure in imaginative thought" by Thomas B. Ward, Merryl J. Patterson, Cynthia M. Sifonis, Rebecca A. Dodds, and Katherine N. Saunders
This article investigates the concept of "structured imagination," which refers to the tendency for novel ideas to be influenced by pre-existing knowledge. The authors conduct multiple experiments across different categories (animals, tools, fruit) to demonstrate that the most easily retrieved exemplars within a category are the ones most likely to be used as starting points for creative generation, even when participants are encouraged to be creative. This effect, they argue, is driven by the cognitive demands of generating novel ideas, suggesting that individuals may not have sufficient cognitive resources to adequately monitor and reject readily available, but potentially inappropriate, information.
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"SeIns: Semantic Instability in Art"
"Variants of Semantic Instability (SeIns) in the Arts: A Classification Study Based on Experiential Reports"
Claudia Muth and Claus-Christian Carbon (+Bera M. Hesslinger)
These sources examine the phenomenon of Semantic Instability (SeIns) in art, which occurs when artworks defy a determinate interpretation and instead offer a plurality of potential meanings. The first source provides a theoretical framework for SeIns and identifies different types of semantic instability, including multistability, dichotomy, visual indeterminacy, and the experience of hidden images. The second source presents a classification study that confirms these types of SeIns, adding a fifth type called integrative blend, and the final source explores the relationship between SeIns and the experience of insight. It suggests that insight can be rewarding even if it does not completely resolve the ambiguity of an artwork, and that this is a key factor in the appreciation of art.
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The Cambridge Handbook of Creativity is a comprehensive text that explores the nature of creativity from historical, psychological, and neurological perspectives. The book examines the cognitive and affective processes involved in creative thinking, including divergent thinking, emotion regulation, and the interplay of personality traits. It also investigates the influence of the social and physical environment on creativity, including how cultural context shapes creative expression. The handbook further explores the relationship between creativity and mental illness, suggesting that there may be a link between high levels of creativity and a greater risk for certain mental disorders. Finally, the text examines the role of creativity in everyday life and its importance in education and the workplace.
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"Uncomfortable images in art and nature" by Dominic Fernandez and Arnold J Wilkins (2008)
This scientific paper investigates the link between the Fourier amplitude spectrum of an image and the discomfort it causes in viewers. The authors hypothesise that uncomfortable images have a disproportionately higher amplitude at spatial frequencies close to 3 cycles per degree, a range known to induce seizures in individuals with photosensitive epilepsy. Six studies are conducted, comparing the discomfort ratings of various images – including contemporary art, filtered noise, and natural scenes – with their respective Fourier spectra. Across these studies, a strong correlation is observed between discomfort and energy at the specified spatial frequency range. This research proposes that understanding the Fourier spectrum can help predict and avoid negative reactions to images in contexts such as public art and hospitals.
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"Intuition in the context of object perception: Intuitive gestalt judgments rest on the unconscious activation of semantic representations" by Annette Bolte and Thomas Goschke (2008)
This paper investigates intuitive judgements in a perceptual task involving fragmented line drawings. The researchers wanted to determine if these intuitive judgements were based on unconsciously activated semantic representations of the objects depicted. They conducted three experiments using a modified version of the Waterloo Gestalt Closure Task, in which participants had to judge whether or not a fragmented line drawing depicted a meaningful object. They combined this task with a lexical decision task to measure whether presenting the fragments primed the corresponding object names. The authors found that participants were able to discriminate coherent fragments from incoherent or inverted fragments even when they could not consciously identify the object. Additionally, the results showed that coherent fragments primed the correct object names in the lexical decision task, suggesting that intuitive gestalt judgements are indeed based on unconscious semantic activation.
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"The Role of Knowledge in Creative Thinking" by Yoed N. Kenett (2024)
This academic article, authored by Yoed N. Kenett, explores the relationship between knowledge, particularly semantic memory, and creative thinking. The article focuses on the associative theory of creativity, which posits that individuals with a more interconnected and flexible semantic memory structure are better equipped to generate creative ideas. Kenett’s research uses computational tools like network science and natural language processing to map the structure of semantic memory in individuals and quantify their ability to creatively search through their knowledge base. The article reviews Kenett’s past research, which found evidence to support the associative theory, discusses his current work on the dynamics of semantic memory search, and outlines his future plans to examine the evolution of semantic memory and its impact on creative thinking.
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"A Triangular Theory of Creativity" by Robert J. Sternberg (2016)
This article, written by Robert J. Sternberg, presents a triangular theory of creativity that builds upon his earlier theories. The theory asserts that creative individuals engage in three types of defiance: defying the crowd (challenging conventional beliefs), defying oneself (moving beyond one’s own previous ideas), and defying the Zeitgeist (questioning the underlying assumptions of a field). Sternberg then explores seven different manifestations of creativity that result from combining these types of defiance. He concludes by comparing his triangular theory to ten other models of creativity and by suggesting seven ways to empirically test his theory.
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"Personality, Cognitive Skills, and Creativity in Different Life Domains" by Keith James & Cheryl Asmus (2010)
This study investigates the relationship between personality, cognitive skills, and creativity in different life domains. The researchers hypothesize that personality and cognitive skills have different predictive powers for different types of creativity, such as problem-solving, artistic, and social creativity. They also propose that cognitive skills mediate personality effects on creativity and that personality and cognitive skills interact to shape creativity. The study uses a personality inventory, a divergent thinking test, and self-rated creativity measures to assess these relationships in a sample of 41 students. The results suggest that different personality traits and cognitive skills are indeed associated with different types of creativity, and that cognitive skills may partially mediate personality effects on creativity. The study also found evidence for interactions between personality and divergent thinking skills, supporting the idea that these factors work together to influence creativity.
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"Recent Trends in the Psychological Study of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts" by Colin Martindale
This academic paper, published in the journal Empirical Studies of the Arts, is a comprehensive review of the trends in the psychological study of aesthetics, creativity, and the arts over the past 25 years. The author, Colin Martindale, argues that the field has undergone a "renaissance" since its decline during the behaviourism era, moving from psychodynamic and neo-behaviourist foundations to cognitive, neuropsychological, and evolutionary approaches. The article explores key historical influences, critically evaluates influential theories and researchers, and provides a detailed overview of recent developments in various disciplines, including psychology, sociology, anthropology, and literary criticism.
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"Learning to judge creativity: The underlying mechanisms in creativity training for non-expert judges" by Martin Storme, Nils Myszkowski, Pinar Çelik, and Todd Lubart (2014)
This research paper examines whether it is possible to train non-expert judges to evaluate creativity in a manner similar to expert judges. The authors conducted two studies involving a training module that provided participants with a definition of creativity, highlighting the key components of novelty, resolution, and elaboration, and offering feedback on their judgments. The studies found that the training module significantly improved the validity and reliability of creativity judgments by trained participants, particularly by improving their ability to accurately assess novelty and elaboration. However, the authors caution that while the training module was effective, it did not completely transform novices into experts, suggesting further research is needed to explore more efficient training strategies.
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