Unlocking Your Creative Potential: The Neuroscience of Creativity

Quick Note from Sam: I wrote this back when I was in school for Environmental Science so it is formatted as a formal paper, though I have softened the writing a bit. I was going to reformat it completely, but then I thought, no, there is too much value in the references. While this is not an Academia-level blog, I personally value that level of published writing and read scientific studies frequently. So the science stayed.

Please enjoy.

With love, Sam

Humans have this beautiful tendency to celebrate creativity in others—praising the painter's vision, the musician's composition, or the entrepreneur's innovation—while, simultaneously, callously dismissing the creativity in ourselves. We make statements like, "I'm just not creative," or, “I have zero creativity,” which hits close to home because my husband is one of these people, who often says they aren’t creative.

But what if this belief fundamentally misinterprets what creativity is and how our brains are designed?

Research has increasingly shown that creativity isn't a rare gift possessed by a select few, but rather an innate human capacity, one that manifests in diverse ways and can be deliberately cultivated. And because this topic hits close to home, as a “creative” person who is married to someone who has repeatedly stated that they are not, I wanted to see what science had to say on the topic. So after a day spent on Google Scholar reading through studies from neuroscience and psychology, here is what I found out about creativity, its various expressions, and how to enhance your creative abilities.

Can anyone be creative? Turns out, we’re wired that way

According to science, the human brain is inherently creative. From an evolutionary perspective, our species' survival has depended on our ability to innovate, solve problems, and adapt.

Neuroimaging studies have given us insight into the creative brain at work. According to neuroscientist Dr. Rex Jung, creativity isn't localized to a single region of the brain but involves dynamic interactions between multiple neural networks (Jung et al., 2013). When we engage in creative thinking, several key regions become active. They are:

The Default Mode Network - associated with mind-wandering, imagination, and spontaneous thinking

The Executive Control Network - involved in evaluation and decision-making

The Salience Network - which helps direct attention and determine what's important

These networks function differently, depending on the type of creativity being expressed, but they're present and active in all of us (Beaty et al., 2018). The ability to toggle between focused attention and more diffuse awareness and alternate between convergent and divergent thinking appears to be a signature of Creativity and creative thinking.

As neuropsychologist Anna Abraham states, "All humans engage in creative cognition to some degree in everyday contexts" (Abraham, 2018). That means that Creativity is a universal human capacity that can manifest in activities as simple as cooking a meal without a recipe, finding a workaround for a household problem, or explaining a complex concept in an accessible way.

Beyond the Artistic Stereotype: Different Types of Creativity

How many times have you heard someone say, “I’m so NOT creative - I can’t paint or draw or sing to save my life!” One reason many people fail to recognize their innate creativity is that our cultural preconception is often narrowly, and incorrectly, focused only on artistic expression.

However, research suggests there are multiple domains of creative expression.

Psychologist Howard Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences suggests that creativity manifests differently based on our particular cognitive strengths (Gardner, 1993). His studies showed that creativity can emerge through:

• Visual-spatial creativity: Design, visualization, mental mapping

• Verbal-linguistic creativity: Storytelling, word play, persuasive communication

• Logical-mathematical creativity: Problem-solving, pattern recognition, system design

• Bodily-kinesthetic creativity: Movement innovation, physical problem-solving, dance

• Interpersonal creativity: Social innovation, leadership approaches, conflict resolution

• Intrapersonal creativity: Self-awareness, personal growth strategies, emotional intelligence

• Naturalistic creativity: Environmental pattern recognition, classification systems, natural world interactions

• Musical creativity: Composition, sound arrangement, rhythmic innovation

Research by Kaufman and Beghetto (2009) and their “Four C” model further distinguishes between different levels of creative expression—from "mini-c" creativity (personal insights and interpretations) to "Big-C" creativity (field-changing innovations). This is a beautiful framework showing how creativity exists on a spectrum, and that even small, everyday creative acts are valid expressions of our innate creative capacity. You don’t have to be a master painter to qualify as creative! Your own unique expression of creativity is just as valid and valuable, and dare I add, a necessary contribution to the world.

What Conditions Foster Creativity?

Neuroimaging has shown us that certain brain states are more conducive to creative insight than others. Understanding what they are - and how to access them - can help us foster our creative capacities.

Alpha Waves

EEG studies show that alpha wave activity—associated with relaxed alertness—increases just before moments of creative insight (Lustenberger et al., 2015). This explains why those “shower thoughts” happen; why creative ideas often come during activities like showering, walking, or daydreaming, when your mind is relaxed but not completely unfocused.

The Default Mode Network and Mind-Wandering

Contrary to popular advice from Hustle Culture™, some degree of mind-wandering is actually essential for creativity. When the brain's default mode network is active, it engages in what scientists call "constructive internal reflection" — the space to make connections between seemingly unrelated concepts (Immordino-Yang et al., 2012).

Cognitive Flexibility and Remote Associations

Creative thinking involves cognitive flexibility, which is the ability to switch between different concepts and perspectives. According to the research of Mednick (1962) and later confirmed by neuroimaging studies (Kenett et al., 2018), people with higher creative potential tend to form more remote associations between concepts, accessing a wider semantic network. This feels like a good time to mention poetry as a beautiful example of remote associations. I’ve personally always marveled at how the best poets can witness something as simple as a grasshopper and somehow, in so few words, create in us a complex castle of emotion, as Mary Oliver does with The Summer Day. But what the science says is, you don’t have to be able write like Mary Oliver to think like Mary Oliver. And that is great news for the rest of us.

Ok, So How Do We Unlock Our Creative Potential? Here’s What Science Says

Based on neuroscientific and psychological research, here are some strategies you can try out to enhance your creative potential:

1. Psychological Distancing

Research by Jia et al. (2009) found that psychological distance—thinking about problems as if they were distant in time, space, or happening to someone else—enhances creative thinking. Try reframing challenges in the third person, or imagining how you might solve them if they occurred years in the future.

Implementation suggestion: When facing a creative block, ask yourself, "How would [someone you admire] approach this problem?" or "How will this matter five years from now?"

2. Incubation Periods

The "incubation effect" refers to the improvements in creative problem-solving after putting the problem down and not thinking about it for a while (Sio & Ormerod, 2009). In other words, there is genuine science that supports taking a break. Breaks allow your default mode network to kick in and make unexpected connections that you might not get by exhausting yourself over it. Take a break!

Implementation suggestion: After initial work on a problem or challenge, or if you’re in a situation that has you stumped, switch to an unrelated, preferably low-cognitive activity like walking, showering, or washing the dishes for about 30 minutes. Then go back to it. Most likely you will be able to see it from a new angle, a fresh perspective, or you’ll notice a detail you didn’t notice before.

3. Utilize Convergent and Divergent Thinking

Neuroscientific evidence suggests that creativity requires both divergent thinking (generating many possible solutions) and convergent thinking (evaluating and refining specific solutions) (Zabelina & Robinson, 2010).

Implementation suggestion: Structure creative sessions with distinct phases: a divergent phase - brainstorming, it’s often called - where all ideas are welcomed without criticism (15-20 minutes), followed by a convergent phase - the culling phase - where the ideas are evaluated, developed, and refined.

4. Expose Yourself to New Experiences

Research by Ritter et al. (2012) demonstrated that exposure to unexpected or unfamiliar experiences enhances cognitive flexibility. Novel experiences create new neural pathways that facilitate creative connections. (Yes, this is why travel can be so personally transformative!)

Implementation suggestion: Regularly introduce novelty into your routine: take a different route to work, try a new receipe from a culture you’ve never experienced before, engage with art or music outside of your usual genres (trip to the symphony!), or learn about subjects unrelated to your expertise. And, if you also happen to be in a relationship, doing these activities together is a beautiful bonding experience! (I’ll explore this in another article, how experiencing things that stretch your comfort zone is scientifically linked to creating emotional bonds with those you experience them with).

5. Leverage Your Chronotype

Research by Wieth and Zacks (2011) found that we often solve insight problems better during our non-optimal time of day, when our executive control is somewhat relaxed. For morning people, this might mean evening; for night owls, try a little “thinking session” the morning.

Implementation suggestion: Schedule creative thinking sessions during your non-peak hours when your brain is less focused on analytical processing.

6. Practice Mindfulness Meditation

Multiple studies have shown correlations between mindfulness practice and enhanced creativity (Lebuda et al., 2016). Mindfulness appears to promote both divergent thinking and cognitive flexibility.

Implementation suggestion: Incorporate a short daily mindfulness practice, 8 to 10 minutes, where you allow yourself the space to breathe and to have an awareness of thought without judgement. This trains our ability to observe ideas without immediately evaluating them, which makes us feel like we have more ideas...when really we are just allowing ourselves to have ideas without immediately labeling them as “bad” or “wrong”, or beating ourselves up for “not doing it right”. Remember, there is no right or wrong way to do it. It’s a practice. You’re just experimenting with a different way of being, trying it out to see what happens. Just return to the breath, and return to the love and peace in your heart.

7. Identify and Work With Your Creative Type

Based on the work of researcher Scott Barry Kaufman on the "Imagination Quotient," creativity manifests through different cognitive modes:

• The Explorer: Seeks out new information and experiences

• The Artist: Transforms ideas and emotions into original expressions

• The Maker: Implements and refines creative solutions

• The Judge: Evaluates and improves existing ideas

Implementation suggestion: Identify your primary creative mode and purposely practice and develop those that don't come as naturally to you.

Embracing Your Creative Nature

The scientific evidence is clear: creativity isn't a special trait reserved for artists and innovators. It's a fundamental aspect of human cognition present in each and every one of us. By understanding the neuroscience behind creative thinking and implementing evidence-based strategies, we can all access and develop more of our innate creative potential.

Whether your creativity expresses itself through cooking, problem-solving, social innovation, or traditional artistic pursuits, the key is recognizing and nurturing your unique creative signature. As neuropsychologist Rex Jung puts it, "Creativity is a whole-brain process," available to everyone willing to cultivate the conditions for it to flourish.

The most profound creativity often emerges not from trying to be more creative, but from removing the psychological, environmental, and neurological barriers that inhibit our natural creative capacities. By approaching creativity as an innate human trait rather than a rare gift, we can all participate more fully in the uniquely human activity of bringing new ideas and innovations into being, each in our own unique way.

That is what the world needs more of: your unique ideas, your unique creativity unlocking brilliant sparks of innovative ideas. The world needs you in all your beautiful uniqueness, inspiring others, inspiring change, and contributing to our collective growth.

. . .

References

Abraham, A. (2018). The Neuroscience of Creativity. Cambridge University Press.

Beaty, R. E., Kenett, Y. N., Christensen, A. P., Rosenberg, M. D., Benedek, M., Chen, Q., ... & Silvia, P. J. (2018). Robust prediction of individual creative ability from brain functional connectivity. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 115(5), 1087-1092.

Gardner, H. (1993). Multiple Intelligences: The Theory in Practice. Basic Books.

Immordino-Yang, M. H., Christodoulou, J. A., & Singh, V. (2012). Rest is not idleness: Implications of the brain's default mode for human development and education. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 7(4), 352-364.

Jia, L., Hirt, E. R., & Karpen, S. C. (2009). Lessons from a faraway land: The effect of spatial distance on creative cognition. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 45(5), 1127-1131.

Jung, R. E., Mead, B. S., Carrasco, J., & Flores, R. A. (2013). The structure of creative cognition in the human brain. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 7, 330.

Kaufman, J. C., & Beghetto, R. A. (2009). Beyond big and little: The four c model of creativity. Review of General Psychology, 13(1), 1-12.

Kenett, Y. N., Levy, O., Kenett, D. Y., Stanley, H. E., Faust, M., & Havlin, S. (2018). Flexibility of thought in high creative individuals represented by percolation analysis. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 115(5), 867-872.

Lebuda, I., Zabelina, D. L., & Karwowski, M. (2016). Mind full of ideas: A meta-analysis of the mindfulness–creativity link. Personality and Individual Differences, 93, 22-26.

Lustenberger, C., Boyle, M. R., Foulser, A. A., Mellin, J. M., & Fröhlich, F. (2015). Functional role of frontal alpha oscillations in creativity. Cortex, 67, 74-82.

Mednick, S. (1962). The associative basis of the creative process. Psychological Review, 69(3), 220-232.

Ritter, S. M., Damian, R. I., Simonton, D. K., van Baaren, R. B., Strick, M., Derks, J., & Dijksterhuis, A. (2012). Diversifying experiences enhance cognitive flexibility. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 48(4), 961-964.

Sio, U. N., & Ormerod, T. C. (2009). Does incubation enhance problem solving? A meta-analytic review. Psychological Bulletin, 135(1), 94-120.

Wieth, M. B., & Zacks, R. T. (2011). Time of day effects on problem solving: When the non-optimal is optimal. Thinking & Reasoning, 17(4), 387-401.

Zabelina, D. L., & Robinson, M. D. (2010). Creativity as flexible cognitive control. Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts, 4(3), 136-143.