Cognitive Neuroscience of Creativity
Despite its critical importance to society, the process by which creative ideas emerge remains elusive. To assess the creative quality of ideas, traditional approaches have largely relied on human ratings. In my first publication (Orwig et al., 2021, Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience) my collaborators and I applied a novel semantic distance measure to automatically assess the novelty of ideas. Additionally, we analyzed functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) to capture dynamic interactions between brain regions, identifying patterns of resting-state network connectivity associated with creativity.
Our analysis revealed a robust correlation between computational scores and human ratings of creative ideas, validating semantic distance assessments as a viable measure of creative performance. We applied voxel-level, graph theory analysis in resting-state fMRI data to describe individual differences in brain connectivity. Results show reduced connectivity of visual cortex associated with creativity, assessed via computational semantic distance and human ratings.
To replicate and extend these findings, we performed the same analysis in a cohort of creative experts. In this follow up study (Orwig et al., 2023, Network Neuroscience) we found that creative experts show reduced connectivity between primary visual cortex and the rest of the brain, compared to controls. Here, we further examined associations between functional brain connectivity and distal simulation, finding a negative association between distal simulation vividness and connectivity to the lateral visual cortex in creative experts.
Creative Writing & Large Language Models
How do we measure creativity? Are computers capable of being creative? Our paper (Orwig et al., 2024, Journal of Creative Behavior) addresses these questions by describing features of short stories written by humans and Large Language Models (LLMs). We found that a broad range of ideas, or increased "semantic diversity" as well as the presence of perceptual details, resulted in stories that were rated as more original and imaginative. This was true for stories written by humans and those generated by GPT models. We do not observe a significant difference between human and AI-generated stories in terms of creativity ratings. This research has been featured in the Harvard Brain Science Initiative and presented as a Second Year Talk to the Harvard Psychology department (see recording below).
Highly Superior Autobiographical Memory
Current models of creativity have proposed a link between episodic memory and divergent thinking; however, little is known about the potential contributions of autobiographical memory to creative ideation. To provide a novel perspective on this issue, we assessed measures of creative thinking in a cohort (n = 14) of rare individuals showing Highly Superior Autobiographical Memory (HSAM). The HSAM cohort completed a battery of creativity measures (including the Alternative Uses Task and Remote Associates Task) showing no significant differences between the groups in relation to any creativity measures (Daviddi & Orwig et al., 2022, Memory). These findings suggest that the constructive episodic processes relevant to creative thinking are not enhanced in HSAM individuals, perhaps because they are compulsively and narrowly focused on consolidation and retrieval of autobiographical events.
In a follow-up study, we describe connectivity differences between HSAM and controls to examine the network architecture related to an enhanced form of autobiographical memory (Orwig et al., 2024, Cortex). Through the implementation of graph theory methods, we describe patterns of resting-state network topology associated with HSAM. Seed-based analyses revealed increased connectivity in HSAM from all of the core regions of the autobiographical memory network; additionally, the whole-brain approach identified widespread patterns of increased connectivity in the HSAM participants, particularly along cortical midline regions. Taken together, these results underscore the role of cortical midline structures in supporting autobiographical memory and illuminate the brain network organization that underlies this rare form of enhanced memory.
Mind Wandering & Creativity
Why do our best ideas often arrive when we’re zoning out in the shower or taking a walk? Mind wandering, generally defined as thoughts unrelated to the present task or environment, may hold the answer. In a recent study, we found that both intentional and unintentional forms of mind wandering were positively associated with creative thinking (Orwig et al., 2022, Creativity Research Journal). Using resting-state fMRI, we identified distinct neural signatures for each type: intentional mind wandering was linked to posterior default mode regions, while unintentional drifting involved more prefrontal activity. These findings offer new insight into the cognitive and neural foundations of intentional mind wandering, supporting the idea that letting the mind roam can fuel innovative thought. This research was featured in a New York Times article exploring the science behind everyday daydreaming—and why it might be more productive than we think.
