The impact of brain

training on creativity
Can we manipulate our brains and level of creative insight?
by Sue Langley

Introduction
Research aim. Investigate impact that neuroscience training, attentional focus and emotional
state can have on creative insight. Establish if:

Teaching people about brain regions that fire during moments of insight, along with attentional
focus in this area, could induce higher incidences of insight above what could be achieved by
inducing positive mood.

People can control brain focus to increase moments of creative insight.

Hypothesis. Relaxed attention will lead to a greater difference in creative insight than positive
mood or no attention.

Literature
Creative insight in the brain
The anterior cingulate cortex and right superior temporal gyrus,
have been found active prior to moments of creative insight
(Jung-Beeman et al 2004).

Mindfulness and brain training

Experienced meditators can shift their level of compassion by
dialling up or down brain activity levels (Lutz 2008).

Method

Emotions impact creative thinking

Positive moods help with creative tasks, likely to generate a greater
number of arguments/options; more receptive, big picture thinking
(eg Fredrickson 2001; Jung-Beeman 2007; Subramaniam et al
2009; Caruso & Salovey 1990).
Neutral or slightly negative moods result in a more careful,
systematic, bottoms up processing; better quality arguments
(eg Forgas & Wyland 2006).
Positive moods seem beneficial in generating creative
output, both quantity and quality; and are more effective than
negative moods in generating creative output (Langley 2013).

Participants. Normal adult sample (N=116), EIW database.

Materials
Stait-Trait-Cheerfulness Inventory (Ruch, Kohler
& van Thriel 1996). Current mood measured for
cheerfulness, seriousness, bad mood.
Positive mood induction video. Selected by
researcher, tested on pilot group.
Neuroscience training, attentional focus
exercise. By researcher.
Creative insight task. Compound remote associate
problems (Bowden & Beeman 2003).

Procedure. Random control trial. Online research.

1
2

Current mood questionnaire.

Control group completed creative insight task.
Positive mood group watched positive video,
insight task.
Experimental group took neuroscience lesson
and focus exercise, then completed insight task.
Creative task solution measured by self-report
(immediate insight, delayed insight or
exploration), subjective comments.

In neuroscience training
attention was directed to
anterior cingulate cortex and
right anterior superior
temporalgyrus)

langley group
emotional intelligence worldwide

Analysis. Mean, Mann-Whitney U test,

correlation, linear regression.

sue@langleygroup.com.au
www.langleygroup.com.au

The impact of brain

training on creativity
Can we manipulate our brains and level of creative insight?

Results

Key findings. There were no significant differences between the experimental and control group in either PCI
(p=0.50) or PC (p=0.35). However, the experimental group did have higher percentage correct across each of the
creative insight areas (immediate insight, delayed insight and exploration). Both PC and PCI rose with increase in
cheerfulness and decrease in bad mood and seriousness, though results were not statistically significant
(CH p=0.75, BM p=0.23, SE p=0.80).

Figure 1: Percentage of CRA problems correctly solved plotted against groups

Percentage correct through
insight (PCI)

Percentage correct
(PC)

Control group (N=44); Positive mood group (N=36); Experimental group (N=36).
PCI median percentage 47, 33, 47 respectively. PC median percentage 57, 40, 64.

Additional findings. Group and demographic comparison

were confounding. Participants with least education had highest
PCI scores. Four out of 5 were in the control group, causing it to
have higher scores than would be seen in normal population. While
numbers are low, negative correlation between higher levels of
education and problems solved by insight may be possible.
Lower positive mood group scores, and lack of significant change in
the emotional scores, indicate the video did not have the desired
effect. Subjective comments confirmed mixed emotional reactions.

Discussion
We found promising support for the novel hypothesis that brain
training and attentional focus could increase creativity. People who
took brain training solved more creative problems correctly than
those who did not. We cannot yet conclude that we can teach
people to use attentional focus to direct energy to brain areas that
need to be activated or that we can deliberately manipulate our
brains. Mixed emotional responses to videos and technical
problems impacted results, so more research is needed.
This research was initially considered odd, yet provides glimmer of
what could be possible. Ricard and Davidson (Lutz 2008) paved the
way. We hope these studies lead to new ways to increase creativity
and innovation in every day life and inspire more research into
brain training and our ability to shape our output.

Next Study
Research aim. Investigate the impact of brain training and
attentional focus on creative insight over time.
Provide training about attentional focus (mindfulness) and
neuroscience to see if creative insight can be increased.
Repeat the task after an 8 week period to assess within group
changes following training.
Participants. 360 people have responded to invitation.
Demographic details collected on application.
Want to contribute or join this study? Contact us!

Acknowledgements
This research was enabled by the Professional Development Foundation at Middlesex University in association with the
Neuroleadership Institute. Sincere thanks to the volunteers who took part; Dan Radecki (research supervision and
guidance); Rachel Tribbick (statistical analysis); Roxanne Mitchell (administration, data collation), Sophie Francis (poster).

Poster presented at the 2014 FENS Forum

of Neuroscience, Milan, July
langley group
emotional intelligence worldwide

sue@langleygroup.com.au
www.langleygroup.com.au