Summary: A new study involving Philadelphia-area jazz guitarists, has explored the brain processes that enable creative flow. The research reveals that achieving flow requires a solid foundation of expertise, after which one must learn to relax conscious control to allow creativity to flourish.
By measuring brain activity and performance quality during improvisation, the study shows that experienced musicians entering flow exhibit less frontal lobe activity, which is associated with executive functions, and more in sensory processing areas. These findings suggest that mastering and then mentally releasing ones craft is key to achieving the high creativity and productivity associated with flow states.
Key Facts:
Source: The Conversation
Flow, or being in the zone, is a state of amped-up creativity, enhanced productivity and blissful consciousness that, some psychologists believe, is also thesecret to happiness. Its considered thebrains fast track to successin business, the arts or any other field.
But in order to achieve flow, a person must first develop a strong foundation of expertise in their craft. Thats according to anew neuroimaging studyfrom Drexel Universitys Creativity Research Lab, which recruited Philly-area jazz guitarists to better understand the key brain processes that underlie flow. Once expertise is attained, the study found, this knowledge must be unleashed and not overthought in order for flow to be reached.
As acognitive neuroscientistwho is senior author of this study, and a university writing instructor, we are a husband-and-wife team who collaborated on abook about the science of creative insight. We believe that this new neuroscience research reveals practical strategies for enhancing, as well as elucidating, innovative thinking.
The concept of flow has fascinated creative people ever since pioneeringpsychological scientist Mihly Cskszentmihlyibegan investigating the phenomenon in the 1970s.
Yet, a half-century of behavioral research has not answered many basic questions about the brain mechanisms associated with the feeling of effortless attention that exemplifies flow.
The Drexel experiment pitted two conflicting theories of flow against each other to see which better reflects what happens in peoples brains when they generate ideas. One theory proposes that flow is a state ofintensive hyperfocuson a task. The other theory hypothesizes that flow involvesrelaxing ones focusor conscious control.
The team recruited 32 jazz guitarists from the Philadelphia area. Their level of experience ranged from novice to veteran, as quantified by the number of public performances they had given. The researchers placed electrode caps on their heads to record their EEG brain waves while they improvised to chord sequences and rhythms that were provided to them.
Jazz improvisationis a favorite vehicle for cognitive psychologists and neuroscientists who study creativity because it is a measurable real-world task that allows fordivergent thinking the generation of multiple ideas over time.
The musicians themselves rated the degree of flow that they experienced during each performance, and those recordings were later played for expert judges who rated them for creativity.
As jazz greatCharlie Parker is said to have advised, Youve got to learn your instrument, then, you practice, practice, practice. And then, when you finally get up there on the bandstand, forget all that and just wail.
This sentiment aligns with the Drexel study findings. The performances that the musicians self-rated as high in flow were also judged by the outside experts as more creative. Furthermore, the most experienced musicians rated themselves as being in flow more than the novices, suggesting that experience is a precondition for flow. Their brain activity revealed why.
The musicians who were experiencing flow while performing showed reduced activity in parts of their frontal lobes known to be involved inexecutive functionorcognitive control. In other words, flow was associated with relaxing conscious control or supervision over other parts of the brain.
And when the most experienced musicians performed while in a state of flow, their brains showed greater activity in areas known to be involved in hearing and vision, which makes sense given that they were improvising while reading the chord progressions and listening to rhythms provided to them.
In contrast, the least experienced musicians showed very little flow-related brain activity.
We were surprised to learn that flow-state creativity is very different from nonflow creativity.
Previous neuroimaging studies suggested that ideas are usually produced by thedefault-mode network, a group of brain areas involved in introspection, daydreaming and imagining the future. The default-mode network spews ideas like an unattended garden hose spouts water, without direction.
The aim is provided by the executive-control network, residing primarily in the brains frontal lobe, which acts like a gardener who points the hose to direct the water where it is needed.
Creative flow is different: no hose, no gardener. The default-mode and executive-control networks are tamped down so that they cannot interfere with the separate brain network that highly experienced people have built up for producing ideas in their field of expertise.
For example, knowledgeable but relatively inexperienced computer programmers may have to reason their way through every line of code. Veteran coders, however, tapping their specialized brain network for computer programming, may just start writing code fluently without overthinking it until they complete perhaps in one sitting a first-draft program.
The findings that expertise and the ability to surrender cognitive control are key to reaching flow are supported by a2019 studyfrom the Creativity Research Lab. For that study, jazz musicians were asked to play more creatively. Given that direction, the nonexpert musicians were indeed able to improvise more creatively.
That is apparently because their improvisation was largely under conscious control and could therefore be adjusted to meet the demand. For example, during debriefing, one of the novice performers said, I wouldnt use these techniques instinctively, so I had to actively choose to play more creatively.
On the other hand, the expert musicians, whose creative process was baked in through decades of experience, were not able to perform more creatively after being asked to do so. As one of the experts put it, I felt boxed-in, and trying to think more creatively was a hindrance.
The takeaway for musicians, writers, designers, inventors and other creatives who want to tap into flow is that training should involve intensive practice followed by learning to step back and let ones skill take over. Future research may develop possible methods for releasing control once sufficient expertise has been achieved.
Author: John Kounios and Yvette Kounios Source: The Conversation Contact: John Kounios and Yvette Kounios The Conversation Image: The image is credited to Neuroscience News
See the article here:
Unlocking Flow: The Neuroscience of Creative Bliss - Neuroscience News
- Revolutionizing Glioblastoma Treatment - Neuroscience News - April 15th, 2024 [April 15th, 2024]
- Decoding spontaneous thoughts from the brain via machine learning - EurekAlert - April 15th, 2024 [April 15th, 2024]
- Reducing Toxic AI Responses - Neuroscience News - April 15th, 2024 [April 15th, 2024]
- Advancing the neuroscience of human pregnancy - Nature.com - April 15th, 2024 [April 15th, 2024]
- Angela Bryan Awarded Hazel Barnes Prize | Psychology and Neuroscience - University of Colorado Boulder - April 15th, 2024 [April 15th, 2024]
- How Old Are You in Your Head? The Neuroscience of Subjective Age Reveals How to Stay Mentally Young - Inc. - April 15th, 2024 [April 15th, 2024]
- Biohaven Showcases Innovative Neuroscience Portfolio with 20 Presentations at the 2024 American Academy of ... - PR Newswire - April 15th, 2024 [April 15th, 2024]
- Those Who Use Willpower Deemed More Trustworthy - Neuroscience News - April 15th, 2024 [April 15th, 2024]
- How Sex and Gender Shape Our Cognition - Neuroscience News - April 15th, 2024 [April 15th, 2024]
- War's Toll on the Brain: Widespread PTSD and Anxiety Among Ukrainians - Neuroscience News - April 15th, 2024 [April 15th, 2024]
- Paints and Pesticides Linked to ALS Risk - Neuroscience News - April 15th, 2024 [April 15th, 2024]
- AI STORIES: A New Vision for AI and Narratives - Neuroscience News - April 15th, 2024 [April 15th, 2024]
- Neuroscience Breakthrough Unveils How We Learn and Remember - SciTechDaily - April 15th, 2024 [April 15th, 2024]
- Pregnancy's Toll: Accelerated Aging in Young Mothers - Neuroscience News - April 15th, 2024 [April 15th, 2024]
- Learning and Memory Formation's Molecular Basis - Neuroscience News - April 15th, 2024 [April 15th, 2024]
- Acetaminophen in Pregnancy Not Linked to Autism, ADHD Risk - Neuroscience News - April 15th, 2024 [April 15th, 2024]
- Childhood Loneliness Linked to Later Psychosis - Neuroscience News - April 15th, 2024 [April 15th, 2024]
- Vigil Neuroscience, Inc. (NASDAQ:VIGL) Expected to Post Q1 2024 Earnings of ($0.58) Per Share - Defense World - March 29th, 2024 [March 29th, 2024]
- International Brain Research Organisation (IBRO) Diversity Grants 2024 Opportunity Desk - Opportunity Desk - March 29th, 2024 [March 29th, 2024]
- Hereditary Alzheimer's Transmitted Via Bone Marrow Transplants - Neuroscience News - March 29th, 2024 [March 29th, 2024]
- Household Chemicals Linked to Brain Health Risks - Neuroscience News - March 29th, 2024 [March 29th, 2024]
- Cheers to Longevity: Couples Who Drink Together, Live Longer - Neuroscience News - March 29th, 2024 [March 29th, 2024]
- Sleeplessness Makes You Feel Up To Ten Years Older - Neuroscience News - March 29th, 2024 [March 29th, 2024]
- Aging Brain Cells Have Prolonged Death Process - Neuroscience News - March 29th, 2024 [March 29th, 2024]
- Anxiety Drives Wishful Thinking to Risky Levels - Neuroscience News - March 29th, 2024 [March 29th, 2024]
- Prolonged Progestogen Use Linked to Brain Tumor Risk - Neuroscience News - March 29th, 2024 [March 29th, 2024]
- The Genetic Secrets of Neuron Formation - Neuroscience News - March 29th, 2024 [March 29th, 2024]
- Vigil Neuroscience Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2023 Financial Results and Provides Business Update - Yahoo Finance - March 29th, 2024 [March 29th, 2024]
- Big research, little time: Medical neuroscience student wins 3 Minute Thesis finals - Dal News - March 29th, 2024 [March 29th, 2024]
- The new NeuroAI - Nature.com - March 29th, 2024 [March 29th, 2024]
- Exploring Aphantasia: The Mind Without a Mental Picture - Neuroscience News - March 29th, 2024 [March 29th, 2024]
- Altered Brain pH Linked to Cognitive Disorders - Neuroscience News - March 29th, 2024 [March 29th, 2024]
- Emotion vs. Reason: Rethinking Decision-Making - Neuroscience News - March 29th, 2024 [March 29th, 2024]
- DNA Damage and Inflammation Key to Memory Formation - Neuroscience News - March 29th, 2024 [March 29th, 2024]
- Embracing Neurodiversity: Beyond Stigma to Strength - Neuroscience News - March 29th, 2024 [March 29th, 2024]
- Devil in the Details: The Visual World of Prosopometamorphopsia - Neuroscience News - March 29th, 2024 [March 29th, 2024]
- Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute receives $2M grant for ultrasound drug addiction treatments - Health Imaging - March 29th, 2024 [March 29th, 2024]
- Empathy Begins in Infancy - Neuroscience News - March 29th, 2024 [March 29th, 2024]
- Mapping Brain Activity with Brain-Computer Interface Technology - Neuroscience News - March 29th, 2024 [March 29th, 2024]
- Want Better Mental Focus? Neuroscience Just Found This Simple, Joyful Activity Helps Your Brain Concentrate - Inc. - March 29th, 2024 [March 29th, 2024]
- The neuroscience of groove: Why certain rhythms make us want to dance - PsyPost - March 29th, 2024 [March 29th, 2024]
- High Rates of Suicidal Ideation in Rural Black Men - Neuroscience News - March 29th, 2024 [March 29th, 2024]
- Harmony in Chaos: How BPD Influences Music Tastes - Neuroscience News - March 29th, 2024 [March 29th, 2024]
- WVU Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute receives $2M Grant - WDTV - March 29th, 2024 [March 29th, 2024]
- Study Links Diet, Diabetes, and Alzheimers - Neuroscience News - March 29th, 2024 [March 29th, 2024]
- Neuroscience and Society Series: Aligning Science with the Public's Values - The Hastings Center - March 29th, 2024 [March 29th, 2024]
- Hardwiring Your Brain: The Neuroscience Of Behaviour Change | TheHealthSite.com - TheHealthSite - March 29th, 2024 [March 29th, 2024]
- Refined Carb Intake's Effect on Facial Attractiveness - Neuroscience News - March 11th, 2024 [March 11th, 2024]
- Linking Childhood Adversity to Adult Mental Health - Neuroscience News - March 11th, 2024 [March 11th, 2024]
- Overnight neuronal plasticity and adaptation to emotional distress - Nature.com - March 11th, 2024 [March 11th, 2024]
- Less Obesity and Depression in NPD Individuals - Neuroscience News - March 11th, 2024 [March 11th, 2024]
- Unlocking Creative Flow: How the Brain Enters the Zone - Neuroscience News - March 11th, 2024 [March 11th, 2024]
- Self-Control, Not Impulsivity, Paves the Way to Power - Neuroscience News - March 11th, 2024 [March 11th, 2024]
- 3D Maps Reveal Molecular Complexities of the Brain - Neuroscience News - March 11th, 2024 [March 11th, 2024]
- Loneliness Linked to Personality Disorders - Neuroscience News - March 11th, 2024 [March 11th, 2024]
- Gen Z's Climate Anxiety: A Call for Action and Hope - Neuroscience News - March 11th, 2024 [March 11th, 2024]
- Decoding Emotions: Beyond Senses in the Human Brain - Neuroscience News - March 11th, 2024 [March 11th, 2024]
- Brain Circuit Balances Speech and Breath - Neuroscience News - March 11th, 2024 [March 11th, 2024]
- Schizophrenia and Aging Share Brain Changes - Neuroscience News - March 11th, 2024 [March 11th, 2024]
- Monitoring Spinal Cord Activity During Surgery in Real-Time - Neuroscience News - March 11th, 2024 [March 11th, 2024]
- Scientists team up with jazz musicians to reveal the neuroscience of creative flow - PsyPost - March 11th, 2024 [March 11th, 2024]
- Peer Pressure Persists Through Adulthood - Neuroscience News - March 11th, 2024 [March 11th, 2024]
- Mary Bartlett Bunge, 92, Dies; Pioneer in Spinal Injury Treatment - The New York Times - March 11th, 2024 [March 11th, 2024]
- Rethinking Reminiscence: Theater's Ageism Dilemma Unveiled - Neuroscience News - March 11th, 2024 [March 11th, 2024]
- PTSD: Virtual Reality and Magnetic Stimulation Provide Relief - Neuroscience News - March 11th, 2024 [March 11th, 2024]
- The Partisan Morality Divide: When Politics Shapes Right and Wrong - Neuroscience News - March 11th, 2024 [March 11th, 2024]
- Biological Sciences Professor Terrence Sejnowski Wins Brain Prize - University of California San Diego - March 11th, 2024 [March 11th, 2024]
- Pioneering work in computational and theoretical neuroscience is awarded the world's largest brain research prize - afp.com - March 11th, 2024 [March 11th, 2024]
- Substance Abuse Beyond Dopamine and Impulsivity - Neuroscience News - March 11th, 2024 [March 11th, 2024]
- Pioneering work in computational and theoretical neuroscience is awarded the world's largest brain research prize - Business Wire - March 11th, 2024 [March 11th, 2024]
- Dal study of football players sheds light on how concussions affect the brain - Yahoo Canada Sports - March 11th, 2024 [March 11th, 2024]
- Hebrew University's Haim Sompolinsky awarded prestigious Brain Prize for pioneering neuroscience research - The Times of Israel - March 11th, 2024 [March 11th, 2024]
- Harvard neuroscientist Haim Sompolinsky awarded Brain Prize - EurekAlert - March 11th, 2024 [March 11th, 2024]
- Rhythm in the Brain: Music Exposure Influences Rhythmic Interpretation - Neuroscience News - March 11th, 2024 [March 11th, 2024]
- Physicist Haim Sompolinsky first Israeli to win largest brain science research prize - The Times of Israel - March 11th, 2024 [March 11th, 2024]
- Prestigious 2024 Brain Prize awarded to Hebrew University's Prof. Haim Sompolinsky by Lundbeck Foundation - EurekAlert - March 11th, 2024 [March 11th, 2024]
- Pioneering work in computational and theoretical neuroscience is awarded the world's largest brain research prize - EurekAlert - March 11th, 2024 [March 11th, 2024]
- Role of AI in Neuroscience Research and Understanding of the Human Brain - Medriva - February 13th, 2024 [February 13th, 2024]
- Healis selected to present at key biotechnology and neuroscience investor conferences in Amsterdam, New York, - EIN News - February 13th, 2024 [February 13th, 2024]
- Brain's Method for Preserving Cognition in Aging Revealed - Neuroscience News - February 13th, 2024 [February 13th, 2024]