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Van de Cruys S, Bervoets J, Gadsby S, Gijbels D, Poels K. Insight in the Conspiracist's Mind. PERSONALITY AND SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY REVIEW 2024; 28:302-324. [PMID: 37776304 DOI: 10.1177/10888683231203145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/02/2023]
Abstract
Academic AbstractThe motto of the conspiracist, "Do your own research," may seem ludicrous to scientists. Indeed, it is often dismissed as a mere rhetorical device that conspiracists use to give themselves the semblance of science. In this perspective paper, we explore the information-seeking activities ("research") that conspiracists do engage in. Drawing on the experimental psychology of aha experiences, we explain how these activities, as well as the epistemic experiences that precede (curiosity) or follow (insight or "aha" experiences) them, may play a crucial role in the appeal and development of conspiracy beliefs. Aha moments have properties that can be exploited by conspiracy theories, such as the potential for false but seemingly grounded conclusions. Finally, we hypothesize that the need for autonomous epistemic agency and discovery is universal but increases as people experience more uncertainty and/or feel epistemically excluded in society, hence linking it to existing literature on explaining conspiracy theories.
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2
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Bieth T, Facque V, Altmayer V, Poisson I, Ovando-Tellez M, Moreno-Rodriguez S, Lopez-Persem A, Mandonnet E, Volle E. Impaired creative cognition after surgery for an IDH-mutated glioma: A proof-of-concept study. Cortex 2024; 174:219-233. [PMID: 38593576 DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2024.02.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2023] [Revised: 11/11/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024]
Abstract
Assessment of high cognitive functions, such as creativity, is often overlooked in medical practice. However, it is crucial to understand the impact of brain tumors, specifically low-grade gliomas, on creative cognition, as these tumors predominantly affect brain regions associated with cognitive creativity. In this study, we investigated creative cognition using the Alternative Uses Task (AUT) and the Combination of Associates Task (CAT) in a cohort of 29 patients who underwent brain surgery for a low-grade glioma, along with 27 control participants. While the group of patients did not exhibit deficits in clinical neuropsychological assessments, our results revealed significant impairment in generating original and creative ideas compared to the control group. Furthermore, when analyzing the specific brain regions affected by the tumors, patients with lesions overlapping the left rostro-lateral prefrontal cortex, a critical region for creativity, displayed more pronounced impairments in the CAT compared to patients with lesions outside this region. These findings provide proof of concept that patients can experience impaired creative cognition following surgery for low-grade glioma, highlighting the importance of assessing higher-order cognitive functions, including creativity, in neurosurgical patients. Moreover, beyond its clinical relevance, our study contributes to advancing our understanding of the neuroscience of creativity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Théophile Bieth
- Sorbonne University, Institut du Cerveau - Paris Brain Institute -ICM-, Inserm, CNRS, AP-HP Hôpital de la Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France; Neurology Department, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, AP-HP, Paris, France.
| | - Valentine Facque
- Humans Matter, France; Department of Neurosurgery, Lariboisière Hospital, Paris, France
| | - Victor Altmayer
- Sorbonne University, Institut du Cerveau - Paris Brain Institute -ICM-, Inserm, CNRS, AP-HP Hôpital de la Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France; Neurology Department, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, AP-HP, Paris, France
| | - Isabelle Poisson
- Department of Neurosurgery, Lariboisière Hospital, Paris, France
| | - Marcela Ovando-Tellez
- Sorbonne University, Institut du Cerveau - Paris Brain Institute -ICM-, Inserm, CNRS, AP-HP Hôpital de la Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France
| | - Sarah Moreno-Rodriguez
- Sorbonne University, Institut du Cerveau - Paris Brain Institute -ICM-, Inserm, CNRS, AP-HP Hôpital de la Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France
| | - Alizée Lopez-Persem
- Sorbonne University, Institut du Cerveau - Paris Brain Institute -ICM-, Inserm, CNRS, AP-HP Hôpital de la Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France
| | - Emmanuel Mandonnet
- Sorbonne University, Institut du Cerveau - Paris Brain Institute -ICM-, Inserm, CNRS, AP-HP Hôpital de la Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France; Department of Neurosurgery, Lariboisière Hospital, Paris, France; Université de Paris Cité, Paris, France.
| | - Emmanuelle Volle
- Sorbonne University, Institut du Cerveau - Paris Brain Institute -ICM-, Inserm, CNRS, AP-HP Hôpital de la Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France.
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Bieth T, Ovando‐Tellez M, Lopez‐Persem A, Garcin B, Hugueville L, Lehongre K, Levy R, George N, Volle E. Time course of EEG power during creative problem-solving with insight or remote thinking. Hum Brain Mapp 2024; 45:e26547. [PMID: 38060194 PMCID: PMC10789201 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.26547] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2023] [Revised: 10/18/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Problem-solving often requires creativity and is critical in everyday life. However, the neurocognitive mechanisms underlying creative problem-solving remain poorly understood. Two mechanisms have been highlighted: the formation of new connections among problem elements and insight solving, characterized by sudden realization of a solution. In this study, we investigated EEG activity during a modified version of the remote associates test, a classical insight problem task that requires finding a word connecting three unrelated words. This allowed us to explore the brain correlates associated with the semantic remoteness of connections (by varying the remoteness of the solution word across trials) and with insight solving (identified as a Eurêka moment reported by the participants). Semantic remoteness was associated with power increase in the alpha band (8-12 Hz) in a left parieto-temporal cluster, the beta band (13-30 Hz) in a right fronto-temporal cluster in the early phase of the task, and the theta band (3-7 Hz) in a bilateral frontal cluster just prior to participants' responses. Insight solving was associated with power increase preceding participants' responses in the alpha and gamma (31-60 Hz) bands in a left temporal cluster and the theta band in a frontal cluster. Source reconstructions revealed the brain regions associated with these clusters. Overall, our findings shed new light on some of the mechanisms involved in creative problem-solving.
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Affiliation(s)
- Théophile Bieth
- Sorbonne Université, Institut du Cerveau—Paris Brain Institute—ICM, Inserm, CNRS, APHP, Hôpital de la Pitié SalpêtrièreParisFrance
- Sorbonne Université, Institut du Cerveau—Paris Brain Institute—ICM, Inserm, CNRS, AP‐HP, Hôpital de la Pitié Salpêtrière, DMU NeuroscienceParisFrance
| | - Marcela Ovando‐Tellez
- Sorbonne Université, Institut du Cerveau—Paris Brain Institute—ICM, Inserm, CNRS, APHP, Hôpital de la Pitié SalpêtrièreParisFrance
| | - Alizée Lopez‐Persem
- Sorbonne Université, Institut du Cerveau—Paris Brain Institute—ICM, Inserm, CNRS, APHP, Hôpital de la Pitié SalpêtrièreParisFrance
| | - Béatrice Garcin
- Sorbonne Université, Institut du Cerveau—Paris Brain Institute—ICM, Inserm, CNRS, APHP, Hôpital de la Pitié SalpêtrièreParisFrance
- Department of NeurologyAvicenne Hospital, AP‐HPBobignyFrance
| | - Laurent Hugueville
- Sorbonne Université, Institut du Cerveau—Paris Brain Institute—ICM, Inserm, CNRS, APHP, Hôpital de la Pitié SalpêtrièreParisFrance
- Institut du Cerveau—ICM, Inserm U1127, CNRS UMR7225, Sorbonne Université, Centre MEG‐EEG, CENIRParisFrance
| | - Katia Lehongre
- Sorbonne Université, Institut du Cerveau—Paris Brain Institute—ICM, Inserm, CNRS, APHP, Hôpital de la Pitié SalpêtrièreParisFrance
| | - Richard Levy
- Sorbonne Université, Institut du Cerveau—Paris Brain Institute—ICM, Inserm, CNRS, APHP, Hôpital de la Pitié SalpêtrièreParisFrance
- Sorbonne Université, Institut du Cerveau—Paris Brain Institute—ICM, Inserm, CNRS, AP‐HP, Hôpital de la Pitié Salpêtrière, DMU NeuroscienceParisFrance
| | - Nathalie George
- Sorbonne Université, Institut du Cerveau—Paris Brain Institute—ICM, Inserm, CNRS, APHP, Hôpital de la Pitié SalpêtrièreParisFrance
- Institut du Cerveau—ICM, Inserm U1127, CNRS UMR7225, Sorbonne Université, Centre MEG‐EEG, CENIRParisFrance
| | - Emmanuelle Volle
- Sorbonne Université, Institut du Cerveau—Paris Brain Institute—ICM, Inserm, CNRS, APHP, Hôpital de la Pitié SalpêtrièreParisFrance
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Laukkonen RE, Webb M, Salvi C, Tangen JM, Slagter HA, Schooler JW. Insight and the selection of ideas. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 153:105363. [PMID: 37598874 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2023] [Revised: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 08/15/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023]
Abstract
Perhaps it is no accident that insight moments accompany some of humanity's most important discoveries in science, medicine, and art. Here we propose that feelings of insight play a central role in (heuristically) selecting an idea from the stream of consciousness by capturing attention and eliciting a sense of intuitive confidence permitting fast action under uncertainty. The mechanisms underlying this Eureka heuristic are explained within an active inference framework. First, implicit restructuring via Bayesian reduction leads to a higher-order prediction error (i.e., the content of insight). Second, dopaminergic precision-weighting of the prediction error accounts for the intuitive confidence, pleasure, and attentional capture (i.e., the feeling of insight). This insight as precision account is consistent with the phenomenology, accuracy, and neural unfolding of insight, as well as its effects on belief and decision-making. We conclude by reflecting on dangers of the Eureka Heuristic, including the arising and entrenchment of false beliefs and the vulnerability of insights under psychoactive substances and misinformation.
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Ramon C, Graichen U, Gargiulo P, Zanow F, Knösche TR, Haueisen J. Spatiotemporal phase slip patterns for visual evoked potentials, covert object naming tasks, and insight moments extracted from 256 channel EEG recordings. Front Integr Neurosci 2023; 17:1087976. [PMID: 37384237 PMCID: PMC10293627 DOI: 10.3389/fnint.2023.1087976] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2022] [Accepted: 05/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Phase slips arise from state transitions of the coordinated activity of cortical neurons which can be extracted from the EEG data. The phase slip rates (PSRs) were studied from the high-density (256 channel) EEG data, sampled at 16.384 kHz, of five adult subjects during covert visual object naming tasks. Artifact-free data from 29 trials were averaged for each subject. The analysis was performed to look for phase slips in the theta (4-7 Hz), alpha (7-12 Hz), beta (12-30 Hz), and low gamma (30-49 Hz) bands. The phase was calculated with the Hilbert transform, then unwrapped and detrended to look for phase slip rates in a 1.0 ms wide stepping window with a step size of 0.06 ms. The spatiotemporal plots of the PSRs were made by using a montage layout of 256 equidistant electrode positions. The spatiotemporal profiles of EEG and PSRs during the stimulus and the first second of the post-stimulus period were examined in detail to study the visual evoked potentials and different stages of visual object recognition in the visual, language, and memory areas. It was found that the activity areas of PSRs were different as compared with EEG activity areas during the stimulus and post-stimulus periods. Different stages of the insight moments during the covert object naming tasks were examined from PSRs and it was found to be about 512 ± 21 ms for the 'Eureka' moment. Overall, these results indicate that information about the cortical phase transitions can be derived from the measured EEG data and can be used in a complementary fashion to study the cognitive behavior of the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ceon Ramon
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
- Regional Epilepsy Center, Harborview Medical Center, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Uwe Graichen
- Department of Biostatistics and Data Science, Karl Landsteiner University of Health Sciences, Krems an der Donau, Austria
| | - Paolo Gargiulo
- Institute of Biomedical and Neural Engineering, Reykjavik University, Reykjavik, Iceland
- Department of Science, Landspitali University Hospital, Reykjavik, Iceland
| | | | - Thomas R. Knösche
- Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Neurosciences, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Jens Haueisen
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Informatics, Technische Universität Ilmenau, Ilmenau, Germany
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Jia X, Li P, Chen Q, Li W. Moderating Role of Creative Mindset in the Effect of Metacognitive Experience on Insight Problem Solving. J Intell 2023; 11:99. [PMID: 37367501 DOI: 10.3390/jintelligence11060099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2023] [Revised: 05/11/2023] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Metacognitive experience, measured by processing fluency, contributes to divergent thinking performance; however, whether it exhibits varying effects on insight problem-solving remains unknown. Additionally, as individuals' interpretation of metacognitive experience is influenced by their creative mindset, whether creative mindset plays a role in the relationship between metacognitive experience and insight problem-solving is another issue. In Experiment 1, a Chinese logogriph task was used to investigate insight problem-solving performance. The font style of logogriphs (easy versus difficult) was used to alter the ease of processing. The results showed that individuals had lower performance accuracy for logogriphs presented in difficult font styles, suggesting the negative effect of metacognitive disfluency experience on logogriph solving. In Experiment 2, different creative mindsets (entity versus incremental) were activated in individuals via prime manipulation. Individuals with an incremental creative mindset had a significantly higher performance accuracy and longer reaction time for logogriphs presented in difficult font styles than individuals with an entity creative mindset, suggesting that an incremental creative mindset might counteract the negative effect of metacognitive disfluency experience on logogriphs solving. These findings suggest that metacognitive disfluency experience has a negative effect on insight problem-solving and that a creative mindset moderated this effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyu Jia
- School of Psychology, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321000, China
- College of Teacher Education, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Ping Li
- School of Education Science, Guangdong Polytechnic Normal University, Guangzhou 510000, China
| | - Qunlin Chen
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Weijian Li
- School of Psychology, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321000, China
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Yu Y, Oh Y, Kounios J, Beeman M. Uncovering the Interplay of Oscillatory Processes During Creative Problem Solving: A Dynamic Modeling Approach. CREATIVITY RESEARCH JOURNAL 2023; 35:438-454. [PMID: 38145249 PMCID: PMC10745236 DOI: 10.1080/10400419.2023.2172871] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/18/2023]
Abstract
To solve a new problem, people spontaneously engage multiple cognitive processes. Previous work has identified a diverse set of oscillatory components critical at different stages of creative problem solving. In this project, we use hidden state modeling to untangle the roles of oscillation processes over time as people solve puzzles. Building on earlier work, we further developed analytical methods, such as incorporating source separating techniques and identifying the optimal number of states using cross-validation. We extracted brain states characterized by spatio-spectral topographies from time-resolved EEG spectral powers. The data driven approach allowed us to infer the dynamic, trial-by-trial, state sequences, and provided a comprehensive depiction of how various oscillation components interact recurrently throughout the trial. The properties of the states suggest their dissociable cognitive functions. For example, we identified three states with dominant activation in alpha bands but having distinct spatial distributions. People were differentially engaged in these states depending on the stages (e.g., onset or response) and outcomes of the trials (solved with insight or analysis). The current approach, applicable to many tasks requiring extended trial duration, can potentially reconcile findings from previous EEG studies and drive new hypotheses to further our understanding of the complex creative process.
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8
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Hintze S, Yee JR. Animals in flow - towards the scientific study of intrinsic reward in animals. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2022; 98:792-806. [PMID: 36579815 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12930] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2022] [Revised: 12/17/2022] [Accepted: 12/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
The concept of flow, a state of complete absorption in an intrinsically rewarding activity, has played a pivotal role in advancing notions of human well-being beyond minimising suffering towards promoting flourishing and thriving. While flow has played a fundamental role in human positive psychology, it has not yet been explored in non-human animals, leaving an enormous void in our understanding of intrinsic motivation in animals. As ethology and related fields keep progressing in uncovering complex cognitive and affective capacities of non-human animals, we propose the time is ripe to translate the concept of flow to animals. We start by embedding flow in the topic of intrinsic motivation and describe its impact on positive human psychology and potentially positive animal welfare. We then disambiguate flow from related concepts discussed in the animal literature. Next, we derive experimental approaches in animals from the canonical characteristics of flow in humans and provide guidelines for both inducing and assessing flow by focusing on two characteristics that do not necessarily depend on self-report, namely resistance to distraction and time distortion. Not all aspects of the human flow experience are (yet) translatable, but those that are may improve quality of life in captive non-human animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Hintze
- Institute of Livestock Sciences, Department of Sustainable Agricultural Systems, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Gregor-Mendel-Strasse 38, 1180, Vienna, Austria
| | - Jason R Yee
- Institute of Animal Welfare Science, Department for Farm Animals and Veterinary Public Health, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Veterinärplatz 1, 1210, Vienna, Austria
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Luong T, Holz C. Characterizing Physiological Responses to Fear, Frustration, and Insight in Virtual Reality. IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON VISUALIZATION AND COMPUTER GRAPHICS 2022; 28:3917-3927. [PMID: 36048988 DOI: 10.1109/tvcg.2022.3203113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Physiological sensing often complements studies of human behavior in virtual reality (VR) to detect users' affective and cognitive states. Some psychological states, such as fear and frustration, can be particularly hard to differentiate from a physiological perspective as they are close in the arousal and valence emotional space. Moreover, it is largely unclear how users' physiological reactions are expressed in response to transient psychological states such as fear, frustration, and insight-especially since these are rich indicators for characterizing users' responses to dynamic systems but are hard to capture in highly interactive settings. We conducted a study ($N=24$) to analyze participants' pulmonary, electrodermal, cardiac, and pupillary responses to moments of fear, frustration, and insight in immersive settings. Participants interacted in five VR environments, throughout which we measured their physiological reactions and analyzed the patterns we observed. We also measured subjective fear and frustration using questionnaires. We found differences between fear and frustration pupillary, respiratory, and electrodermal responses, as well as between the pupillary changes that followed fear in a horror game and those that followed fear in a vertigo experiment. We present the relationships between fear levels, frustration levels, and their physiological responses. To detect these affective events and states, we introduce user-independent binary classification models that achieved an average micro $F_{1}$ score of 71% for detecting fear in a horror game, 75% for fear of vertigo, 76% for frustration, and 75% for insight, showing the promise for detecting these states from passive and objective signals.
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Wang RWY, Liu IN. Temporal and electroencephalography dynamics of surreal marketing. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:949008. [PMID: 36389218 PMCID: PMC9648353 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.949008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2022] [Accepted: 08/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Event-related spectral perturbation analysis was employed in this study to explore whether surreal image designs containing metaphors could influence product marketing effects, including consumers' product curiosity, product comprehension, product preference, and purchase intention. A total of 30 healthy participants aged 21-30 years were recruited. Neurophysiological findings revealed that lower gamma, beta, and theta spectral powers were evoked in the right insula (Brodmann Area 13) by surreal marketing images. This was associated, behaviorally, with the manifestation of higher product curiosity and purchase intention. Based on previous research, the brain functions of this area include novelty, puzzle-solving, and cravings for reward caused by cognitive overload.
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Affiliation(s)
- Regina W. Y. Wang
- Department of Design, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taipei City, Taiwan
- Design Perceptual Awareness Laboratory, Taiwan Building Technology Center, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taipei City, Taiwan
| | - I-Ning Liu
- Department of Design, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taipei City, Taiwan
- Design Perceptual Awareness Laboratory, Taiwan Building Technology Center, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taipei City, Taiwan
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Magenes S, Cancer A, Curti S, Pradella C, Antonietti A. Learning skills, creativity, and self-efficacy in vocational school students. LEARNING AND MOTIVATION 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.lmot.2022.101829] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/16/2022]
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12
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Kuang C, Chen J, Chen J, Shi Y, Huang H, Jiao B, Lin Q, Rao Y, Liu W, Zhu Y, Mo L, Ma L, Lin J. Uncovering neural distinctions and commodities between two creativity subsets: A meta-analysis of fMRI studies in divergent thinking and insight using activation likelihood estimation. Hum Brain Mapp 2022; 43:4864-4885. [PMID: 35906880 PMCID: PMC9582370 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.26029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2022] [Revised: 07/12/2022] [Accepted: 07/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The dual‐process theory that two different systems of thought coexist in creative thinking has attracted considerable attention. In the field of creative thinking, divergent thinking (DT) is the ability to produce multiple solutions to open‐ended problems in a short time. It is mainly considered an associative and fast process. Meanwhile, insight, the new and unexpected comprehension of close‐ended problems, is frequently marked as a deliberate and time‐consuming thinking process requiring concentrated effort. Previous research has been dedicated to revealing their separate neural mechanisms, while few studies have compared their differences and similarities at the brain level. Therefore, the current study applied Activation Likelihood Estimation to decipher common and distinctive neural pathways that potentially underlie DT and insight. We selected 27 DT studies and 30 insight studies for retrospective meta‐analyses. Initially, two single analyses with follow‐up contrast and conjunction analyses were performed. The single analyses showed that DT mainly involved the inferior parietal lobe (IPL), cuneus, and middle frontal gyrus (MFG), while the precentral gyrus, inferior frontal gyrus (IFG), parahippocampal gyrus (PG), amygdala (AMG), and superior parietal lobe were engaged in insight. Compared to insight, DT mainly led to greater activation in the IPL, the crucial part of the default mode network. However, insight caused more significant activation in regions related to executive control functions and emotional responses, such as the IFG, MFG, PG, and AMG. Notably, the conjunction analysis detected no overlapped areas between DT and insight. These neural findings implicate that various neurocognitive circuits may support DT and insight.
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Affiliation(s)
- Changyi Kuang
- Department of Psychology, School of Public Health and Management, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jun Chen
- Center for Studies of Psychological Application, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, School of Psychology, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jiawen Chen
- Department of Psychology, School of Public Health and Management, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yafei Shi
- Department of Psychology, School of Public Health and Management, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Huiyuan Huang
- Department of Psychology, School of Public Health and Management, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Bingqing Jiao
- Department of Psychology, School of Public Health and Management, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qiwen Lin
- Department of Psychology, School of Public Health and Management, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yuyang Rao
- Department of Psychology, School of Public Health and Management, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wenting Liu
- Department of Psychology, School of Public Health and Management, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yunpeng Zhu
- Department of Psychology, School of Public Health and Management, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Lei Mo
- Center for Studies of Psychological Application, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, School of Psychology, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Lijun Ma
- Department of Psychology, School of Public Health and Management, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jiabao Lin
- Department of Psychology, School of Public Health and Management, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China.,UMR 5229, Institut des Sciences Cognitives Marc Jeannerod, CNRS, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Lyon, France
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13
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Antal A, Luber B, Brem AK, Bikson M, Brunoni AR, Cohen Kadosh R, Dubljević V, Fecteau S, Ferreri F, Flöel A, Hallett M, Hamilton RH, Herrmann CS, Lavidor M, Loo C, Lustenberger C, Machado S, Miniussi C, Moliadze V, Nitsche MA, Rossi S, Rossini PM, Santarnecchi E, Seeck M, Thut G, Turi Z, Ugawa Y, Venkatasubramanian G, Wenderoth N, Wexler A, Ziemann U, Paulus W. Non-invasive brain stimulation and neuroenhancement. Clin Neurophysiol Pract 2022; 7:146-165. [PMID: 35734582 PMCID: PMC9207555 DOI: 10.1016/j.cnp.2022.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2022] [Revised: 04/19/2022] [Accepted: 05/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The available data frame with a wide parameter space of tES does not allow an overarching protocol recommendation. Established engineering risk-management procedures with regard to manufacturing should be followed. Consensus among experts is that tES for neuroenhancement is safe as long as tested protocols are followed.
Attempts to enhance human memory and learning ability have a long tradition in science. This topic has recently gained substantial attention because of the increasing percentage of older individuals worldwide and the predicted rise of age-associated cognitive decline in brain functions. Transcranial brain stimulation methods, such as transcranial magnetic (TMS) and transcranial electric (tES) stimulation, have been extensively used in an effort to improve cognitive functions in humans. Here we summarize the available data on low-intensity tES for this purpose, in comparison to repetitive TMS and some pharmacological agents, such as caffeine and nicotine. There is no single area in the brain stimulation field in which only positive outcomes have been reported. For self-directed tES devices, how to restrict variability with regard to efficacy is an essential aspect of device design and function. As with any technique, reproducible outcomes depend on the equipment and how well this is matched to the experience and skill of the operator. For self-administered non-invasive brain stimulation, this requires device designs that rigorously incorporate human operator factors. The wide parameter space of non-invasive brain stimulation, including dose (e.g., duration, intensity (current density), number of repetitions), inclusion/exclusion (e.g., subject’s age), and homeostatic effects, administration of tasks before and during stimulation, and, most importantly, placebo or nocebo effects, have to be taken into account. The outcomes of stimulation are expected to depend on these parameters and should be strictly controlled. The consensus among experts is that low-intensity tES is safe as long as tested and accepted protocols (including, for example, dose, inclusion/exclusion) are followed and devices are used which follow established engineering risk-management procedures. Devices and protocols that allow stimulation outside these parameters cannot claim to be “safe” where they are applying stimulation beyond that examined in published studies that also investigated potential side effects. Brain stimulation devices marketed for consumer use are distinct from medical devices because they do not make medical claims and are therefore not necessarily subject to the same level of regulation as medical devices (i.e., by government agencies tasked with regulating medical devices). Manufacturers must follow ethical and best practices in marketing tES stimulators, including not misleading users by referencing effects from human trials using devices and protocols not similar to theirs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Antal
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Center, Göttingen, Germany
- Corresponding author at: Department of Neurology, University Medical Center, Göttingen, Robert Koch Str. 40, 37075 Göttingen, Germany.
| | - Bruce Luber
- Noninvasive Neuromodulation Unit, Experimental Therapeutics and Pathophysiology Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Anna-Katharine Brem
- University Hospital of Old Age Psychiatry, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Old Age Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Marom Bikson
- Biomedical Engineering at the City College of New York (CCNY) of the City University of New York (CUNY), NY, USA
| | - Andre R. Brunoni
- Departamento de Clínica Médica e de Psiquiatria, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- Service of Interdisciplinary Neuromodulation (SIN), Laboratory of Neurosciences (LIM-27), Institute of Psychiatry, Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da USP, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Roi Cohen Kadosh
- School of Psychology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XH, UK
| | - Veljko Dubljević
- Science, Technology and Society Program, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Shirley Fecteau
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, CERVO Brain Research Centre, Centre intégré universitaire en santé et services sociaux de la Capitale-Nationale, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
| | - Florinda Ferreri
- Unit of Neurology, Unit of Clinical Neurophysiology, Study Center of Neurodegeneration (CESNE), Department of Neuroscience, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
- Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, Kuopio University Hospital, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Agnes Flöel
- Department of Neurology, Universitätsmedizin Greifswald, 17475 Greifswald, Germany
- German Centre for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) Standort Greifswald, 17475 Greifswald, Germany
| | - Mark Hallett
- Human Motor Control Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Roy H. Hamilton
- Department of Neurology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Christoph S. Herrmann
- Experimental Psychology Lab, Department of Psychology, Carl von Ossietzky Universität, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Michal Lavidor
- Department of Psychology and the Gonda Brain Research Center, Bar Ilan University, Israel
| | - Collen Loo
- School of Psychiatry and Black Dog Institute, University of New South Wales; The George Institute; Sydney, Australia
| | - Caroline Lustenberger
- Neural Control of Movement Lab, Institute of Human Movement Sciences and Sport, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Sergio Machado
- Department of Sports Methods and Techniques, Federal University of Santa Maria, Santa Maria, Brazil
- Laboratory of Physical Activity Neuroscience, Neurodiversity Institute, Queimados-RJ, Brazil
| | - Carlo Miniussi
- Center for Mind/Brain Sciences – CIMeC and Centre for Medical Sciences - CISMed, University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy
| | - Vera Moliadze
- Institute of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology, University Medical Center Schleswig Holstein, Kiel University, Kiel, Germany
| | - Michael A Nitsche
- Department Psychology and Neurosciences, Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors at TU, Dortmund, Germany
- Dept. Neurology, University Medical Hospital Bergmannsheil, Bochum, Germany
| | - Simone Rossi
- Siena Brain Investigation and Neuromodulation Lab (Si-BIN Lab), Unit of Neurology and Clinical Neurophysiology, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Neuroscience, University of Siena, Italy
| | - Paolo M. Rossini
- Department of Neuroscience and Neurorehabilitation, Brain Connectivity Lab, IRCCS-San Raffaele-Pisana, Rome, Italy
| | - Emiliano Santarnecchi
- Precision Neuroscience and Neuromodulation Program, Gordon Center for Medical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Margitta Seeck
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Hôpitaux Universitaires de Genève, Switzerland
| | - Gregor Thut
- Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging, School of Psychology and Neuroscience, EEG & Epolepsy Unit, University of Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Zsolt Turi
- Department of Neuroanatomy, Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Yoshikazu Ugawa
- Department of Human Neurophysiology, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan
| | | | - Nicole Wenderoth
- Neural Control of Movement Lab, Institute of Human Movement Sciences and Sport, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
- Future Health Technologies, Singapore-ETH Centre, Campus for Research Excellence And Technological Enterprise (CREATE), Singapore
| | - Anna Wexler
- Department of Medical Ethics and Health Policy, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Ulf Ziemann
- Department of Neurology and Stroke, University of Tübingen, Germany
- Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research, University of Tübingen, Germany
| | - Walter Paulus
- Department of of Neurology, Ludwig Maximilians University Munich, Germany
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14
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Yu Y, Oh Y, Kounios J, Beeman M. Dynamics of hidden brain states when people solve verbal puzzles. Neuroimage 2022; 255:119202. [PMID: 35427772 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2022.119202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2021] [Revised: 03/10/2022] [Accepted: 04/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
When people try to solve a problem, they go through distinct steps (encoding, ideation, evaluation, etc.) recurrently and spontaneously. To disentangle different cognitive processes that unfold throughout a trial, we applied an unsupervised machine learning method to electroencephalogram (EEG) data continuously recorded while 39 participants attempted 153 Compound Remote Associates problems (CRA). CRA problems are verbal puzzles that can be solved in either insight-leaning or analysis-leaning manner. We fitted a Hidden Markov Model to the time-frequency transformed EEG signals and decoded each trial as a time-resolved state sequence. The model characterizes hidden brain states with spectrally resolved power topography. Seven states were identified with distinct activation patterns in the theta (4-7 Hz), alpha (8-9 Hz and 10-13 Hz), and gamma (25-50 Hz) bands. Notably, a state featuring widespread activation only in alpha-band frequency emerged, from this data-driven approach, which exhibited dynamic characteristics associated with specific temporal stages and outcomes (whether solved with insight or analysis) of the trials. The state dynamics derived from the model overlap and extend previous literature on the cognitive function of alpha oscillation: the "alpha-state" probability peaks before stimulus onset and decreases before response. In trials solved with insight, relative to solved with analysis, the alpha-state is more likely to be visited and maintained during preparation and solving periods, and its probability declines more sharply immediately preceding a response. This novel paradigm provides a way to extract dynamic features that characterize problem-solving stages and potentially provide a novel window into the nature of the underlying cognitive processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuhua Yu
- Department of Psychology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA.
| | - Yongtaek Oh
- Department of Psychology, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - John Kounios
- Department of Psychology, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Mark Beeman
- Department of Psychology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
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15
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Salmon N, Leikin M. The Cognitive–Creative Profiles of Insightful Problem Solvers: A Person‐Centered Insight Study. JOURNAL OF CREATIVE BEHAVIOR 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/jocb.536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Nirit Salmon
- Gordon College of Education
- University of Haifa
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16
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Wagemann J, Raggatz J. First-person dimensions of mental agency in visual counting of moving objects. Cogn Process 2021; 22:453-473. [PMID: 33818664 PMCID: PMC8324628 DOI: 10.1007/s10339-021-01020-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2020] [Accepted: 02/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Counting objects, especially moving ones, is an important capacity that has been intensively explored in experimental psychology and related disciplines. The common approach is to trace the three counting principles (estimating, subitizing, serial counting) back to functional constructs like the Approximate Number System and the Object Tracking System. While usually attempts are made to explain these competing models by computational processes at the neural level, their first-person dimensions have been hardly investigated so far. However, explanatory gaps in both psychological and philosophical terms may suggest a methodologically complementary approach that systematically incorporates introspective data. For example, the mental-action debate raises the question of whether mental activity plays only a marginal role in otherwise automatic cognitive processes or if it can be developed in such a way that it can count as genuine mental action. To address this question not only theoretically, we conducted an exploratory study with a moving-dots task and analyze the self-report data qualitatively and quantitatively on different levels. Building on this, a multi-layered, consciousness-immanent model of counting is presented, which integrates the various counting principles and concretizes mental agency as developing from pre-reflective to increasingly conscious mental activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johannes Wagemann
- Institute for Waldorf Education, Inclusion and Interculturalism, Alanus University, Campus Mannheim, Am Exerzierplatz 21, 68167 Mannheim, Germany
| | - Jonas Raggatz
- Institute for Waldorf Education, Inclusion and Interculturalism, Alanus University, Campus Mannheim, Am Exerzierplatz 21, 68167 Mannheim, Germany
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17
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Enhancement of semantic integration reasoning by tRNS. COGNITIVE AFFECTIVE & BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE 2021; 21:736-746. [PMID: 33796985 DOI: 10.3758/s13415-021-00885-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
The right hemisphere is involved with the integrative processes necessary to achieve global coherence during reasoning and discourse processing. Specifically, the right temporal lobe has been proven to facilitate the processing of distant associate relationships, such as generating novel ideas. Previous studies showed a specific swing of alpha and gamma oscillatory activity over the right parieto-occipital lobe and the right anterior temporal lobe respectively, when people solve semantic problems with a specific strategy, i.e., insight problem-solving. In this study, we investigated the specificity of the right parietal and temporal lobes for semantic integration using transcranial Random Noise Stimulation (tRNS). We administered a set of pure semantics (i.e., Compound Remote Associates [CRA]) and visuo-semantic problems (i.e., Rebus Puzzles) to a sample of 31 healthy volunteers. Behavioral results showed that tRNS stimulation over the right temporal lobe enhances CRA accuracy (+12%), while stimulation on the right parietal lobe causes a decrease of response time on the same task (-2,100 ms). No effects were detected for Rebus Puzzles. Our findings corroborate the involvement of the right temporal and parietal lobes when solving purely semantic problems but not when they involve visuo-semantic material, also providing causal evidence for their postulated different roles in the semantic integration process and promoting tRNS as a candidate tool to boost verbal reasoning in humans.
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18
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Sinitsyn DO, Bakulin IS, Poydasheva AG, Legostaeva LA, Kremneva EI, Lagoda DY, Chernyavskiy AY, Medyntsev AA, Suponeva NA, Piradov MA. Brain Activations and Functional Connectivity Patterns Associated with Insight-Based and Analytical Anagram Solving. Behav Sci (Basel) 2020; 10:E170. [PMID: 33171616 PMCID: PMC7695184 DOI: 10.3390/bs10110170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2020] [Revised: 11/01/2020] [Accepted: 11/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Insight is one of the most mysterious problem-solving phenomena involving the sudden emergence of a solution, often preceded by long unproductive attempts to find it. This seemingly unexplainable generation of the answer, together with the role attributed to insight in the advancement of science, technology and culture, stimulate active research interest in discovering its neuronal underpinnings. The present study employs functional Magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to probe and compare the brain activations occurring in the course of solving anagrams by insight or analytically, as judged by the subjects. A number of regions were activated in both strategies, including the left premotor cortex, left claustrum, and bilateral clusters in the precuneus and middle temporal gyrus. The activated areas span the majority of the clusters reported in a recent meta-analysis of insight-related fMRI studies. At the same time, the activation patterns were very similar between the insight and analytical solutions, with the only difference in the right sensorimotor region probably explainable by subject motion related to the study design. Additionally, we applied resting-state fMRI to study functional connectivity patterns correlated with the individual frequency of insight anagram solutions. Significant correlations were found for the seed-based connectivity of areas in the left premotor cortex, left claustrum, and left frontal eye field. The results stress the need for optimizing insight paradigms with respect to the accuracy and reliability of the subjective insight/analytical solution classification. Furthermore, the short-lived nature of the insight phenomenon makes it difficult to capture the associated neural events with the current experimental techniques and motivates complementing such studies by the investigation of the structural and functional brain features related to the individual differences in the frequency of insight-based decisions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dmitry O. Sinitsyn
- Research Center of Neurology, 125367 Moscow, Russia; (D.O.S.); (I.S.B.); (L.A.L.); (E.I.K.); (D.Y.L.); (A.Y.C.); (N.A.S.); (M.A.P.)
| | - Ilya S. Bakulin
- Research Center of Neurology, 125367 Moscow, Russia; (D.O.S.); (I.S.B.); (L.A.L.); (E.I.K.); (D.Y.L.); (A.Y.C.); (N.A.S.); (M.A.P.)
| | - Alexandra G. Poydasheva
- Research Center of Neurology, 125367 Moscow, Russia; (D.O.S.); (I.S.B.); (L.A.L.); (E.I.K.); (D.Y.L.); (A.Y.C.); (N.A.S.); (M.A.P.)
| | - Liudmila A. Legostaeva
- Research Center of Neurology, 125367 Moscow, Russia; (D.O.S.); (I.S.B.); (L.A.L.); (E.I.K.); (D.Y.L.); (A.Y.C.); (N.A.S.); (M.A.P.)
| | - Elena I. Kremneva
- Research Center of Neurology, 125367 Moscow, Russia; (D.O.S.); (I.S.B.); (L.A.L.); (E.I.K.); (D.Y.L.); (A.Y.C.); (N.A.S.); (M.A.P.)
| | - Dmitry Yu. Lagoda
- Research Center of Neurology, 125367 Moscow, Russia; (D.O.S.); (I.S.B.); (L.A.L.); (E.I.K.); (D.Y.L.); (A.Y.C.); (N.A.S.); (M.A.P.)
| | - Andrey Yu. Chernyavskiy
- Research Center of Neurology, 125367 Moscow, Russia; (D.O.S.); (I.S.B.); (L.A.L.); (E.I.K.); (D.Y.L.); (A.Y.C.); (N.A.S.); (M.A.P.)
- Valiev Institute of Physics and Technology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117218 Moscow, Russia
| | - Alexey A. Medyntsev
- Institute of Psychology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 129366 Moscow, Russia;
| | - Natalia A. Suponeva
- Research Center of Neurology, 125367 Moscow, Russia; (D.O.S.); (I.S.B.); (L.A.L.); (E.I.K.); (D.Y.L.); (A.Y.C.); (N.A.S.); (M.A.P.)
| | - Michael A. Piradov
- Research Center of Neurology, 125367 Moscow, Russia; (D.O.S.); (I.S.B.); (L.A.L.); (E.I.K.); (D.Y.L.); (A.Y.C.); (N.A.S.); (M.A.P.)
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19
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Becker M, Kühn S, Sommer T. Verbal insight revisited — dissociable neurocognitive processes underlying solutions accompanied by an AHA! experience with and without prior restructuring. JOURNAL OF COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY 2020. [DOI: 10.1080/20445911.2020.1819297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Maxi Becker
- University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Clinic and Policlinic for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Hamburg, Germany
- Humboldt University, Department of Psychology, Berlin, Germany
| | - Simone Kühn
- University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Clinic and Policlinic for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Hamburg, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Center for Lifespan Psychology, Berlin, Germany
| | - Tobias Sommer
- University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Department of Systems Neuroscience, NeuroImage Nord, Hamburg, Germany
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20
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Beda Z, Smith SM, Orr J. Creativity on demand - Hacking into creative problem solving. Neuroimage 2020; 216:116867. [PMID: 32325208 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2020.116867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2019] [Revised: 02/25/2020] [Accepted: 04/17/2020] [Indexed: 10/24/2022] Open
Abstract
How can creative problem solving be enhanced? The paper identifies and examines modulatory approaches from the cognitive and neuroscientific literature that have been made to make creative problem solving better. We review neuromodulatory approaches of both global and local effects. Through a 2-process model of creative problem solving that involves both automatic and controlled processes, we demonstrate how these approaches could be used and what potential they may have for enhancing creative problem solving. We conclude that direct neuromodulation will be best used in unison with behavioral manipulations of cognition, and that better understanding of these manipulations should inform and guide research on direct neuromodulatory procedures.
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21
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Drążyk D, Kumka M, Zarzycka K, Zguda P, Chuderski A. No indication that the ego depletion manipulation can affect insight: a comment on DeCaro and Van Stockum (2018). THINKING & REASONING 2020. [DOI: 10.1080/13546783.2019.1649191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Dominika Drążyk
- Institute of Philosophy, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland
| | - Martyna Kumka
- Institute of Philosophy, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland
| | | | - Paulina Zguda
- Institute of Philosophy, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland
| | - Adam Chuderski
- Institute of Philosophy, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland
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22
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Salvi C, Beeman M, Bikson M, McKinley R, Grafman J. TDCS to the right anterior temporal lobe facilitates insight problem-solving. Sci Rep 2020; 10:946. [PMID: 31969588 PMCID: PMC6976642 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-57724-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2019] [Accepted: 12/12/2019] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Problem-solving is essential for advances in cultural, social, and scientific knowledge. It is also one of the most challenging cognitive processes to facilitate. Some problem-solving is deliberate, but frequently people solve problems with a sudden insight, also known as a Eureka or "Aha!" moment. The advantage of solving problems via insight is that these solutions are more accurate, relying on a unique pattern of neural activity, compared to deliberative strategies. The right Anterior Temporal Lobe (rATL), putatively involved in semantic integration, is distinctively activated when people experience an insight. The rATL may contribute to the recognition of distant semantic relations that support insight solutions, although fMRI and EEG evidence for its involvement is, by nature, correlational. In this study, we investigate if focal sub-threshold neuromodulation to the rATL facilitates insight problem-solving. In three different groups, using a within- and between-subjects design, we tested the causal role of this brain region in problem-solving, by applying High Definition Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation to the rATL (active and sham condition) or the left frontopolar region while participants attempted to solve Compound Remote Associates problems before, during and after stimulation. Participants solved a higher percentage of problems, overall, and specifically by insight when they received rATL stimulation, compared to pre-stimulation, and compared to sham and left frontopolar stimulation. These results confirm the crucial role played by the rATL in insight problem-solving.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carola Salvi
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
| | - Mark Beeman
- Department of Psychology, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Marom Bikson
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The City College of New York, New York, USA
| | - Richard McKinley
- Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson AFB, Dayton, OH, USA
| | - Jordan Grafman
- Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, Chicago, IL, USA
- Departments of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Neurology, Cognitive Neurology, and Alzheimer's Center, Department of Psychiatry, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
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23
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Danek AH, Flanagin VL. Cognitive conflict and restructuring: The neural basis of two core components of insight. AIMS Neurosci 2019; 6:60-84. [PMID: 32341969 PMCID: PMC7179339 DOI: 10.3934/neuroscience.2019.2.60] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2018] [Accepted: 04/27/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Sometimes, the solution to a difficult problem simply pops into mind. Such a moment of sudden comprehension is known as "insight". This fundamental cognitive process is crucial for problem solving, creativity and innovation, yet its true nature remains elusive, despite one century of psychological research. Typically, insight is investigated by using spatial puzzles or verbal riddles. Broadening the traditional approach, we propose to tackle this question by presenting magic tricks to participants and asking them to find out the secret method used by the magician. Combining this approach with cueing in an fMRI experiment, we were able to break down the insight process into two underlying components: cognitive conflict and restructuring. During cognitive conflict, problem solvers identify incongruent information that does not match their current mental representation. In a second step this information is restructured, thereby allowing them to correctly determine how the magic trick was done. We manipulated the occurrence of cognitive conflict by presenting two types of cues that lead participants to either maintain their perceptual belief (congruent cue) or to change their perceptual belief (incongruent cue) for the mechanism behind the magic trick. We found that partially overlapping but distinct networks of brain activity were recruited for cognitive conflict and restructuring. Posterior, predominantly visual brain activity during cognitive conflict reflected processes related to prediction error, attention to the relevant cue-specific sensory domain, and the default brain state. Restructuring on the other hand, showed a highly distributed pattern of brain activity in regions of the default mode, executive control networks, and salience networks. The angular gyrus and middle temporal gyrus were active in both cognitive conflict and restructuring, suggesting that these regions are important throughout the insight problem solving process. We believe this type of approach towards understanding insight will give lead to a better understanding of this complex process and the specific role that different brain regions play in creative thought.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amory H. Danek
- Experimental and Theoretical Psychology, Universität Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Virginia L. Flanagin
- German Center for Vertigo and Dizziness (DSGZ), Klinikum der Universität München, Marchioninistr. 15, 81377 Munich, Germany
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24
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Santarnecchi E, Sprugnoli G, Bricolo E, Costantini G, Liew SL, Musaeus CS, Salvi C, Pascual-Leone A, Rossi A, Rossi S. Gamma tACS over the temporal lobe increases the occurrence of Eureka! moments. Sci Rep 2019; 9:5778. [PMID: 30962465 PMCID: PMC6453961 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-42192-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2018] [Accepted: 03/22/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The solution to a problem might manifest itself as a burst of unexpected, unpredictable clarity. Such Eureka! events, or Insight moments, are among the most fascinating mysteries of human cognition, whose neurophysiological substrate seems to include a role for oscillatory activity within the α and γ bands in the right parietal and temporal brain regions. We tested this hypothesis on thirty-one healthy participants using transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation (tACS) to externally amplify α (10 Hz) and γ (40 Hz) activity in the right parietal and temporal lobes, respectively. During γ-tACS over the right temporal lobe, we observed an increase in accuracy on a verbal insight task. Furthermore, electroencephalography (EEG) data revealed an increase in γ spectral power over bilateral temporal lobes after stimulation. Additionally, resting-state functional MRI data acquired before the stimulation session suggested a correlation between behavioral response to right temporal lobe tACS and functional connectivity of bilateral temporal lobes, in line with the bilateral increase in γ band revealed by EEG. Overall, results suggest the possibility of enhancing the probability of generating Eureka! moments in humans by means of frequency-specific noninvasive brain stimulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emiliano Santarnecchi
- Berenson-Allen Center for Non-Invasive Brain Stimulation, Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA. .,Brain Investigation & Neuromodulation Laboratory (Si-BIN Lab), Department of Medicine, Surgery and Neuroscience, Unit of Neurology and Clinical Neurophysiology, University of Siena, Siena, Italy.
| | - Giulia Sprugnoli
- Brain Investigation & Neuromodulation Laboratory (Si-BIN Lab), Department of Medicine, Surgery and Neuroscience, Unit of Neurology and Clinical Neurophysiology, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Emanuela Bricolo
- Psychology Department, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy.,Milan Center for Neuroscience, Milan, Italy
| | | | - Sook-Lei Liew
- Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Christian S Musaeus
- Department of Neurology, Danish Dementia Research Centre (DDRC), Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Carola Salvi
- Northwestern University, Psychology department, Evanston, IL, USA.,Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Alvaro Pascual-Leone
- Berenson-Allen Center for Non-Invasive Brain Stimulation, Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Alessandro Rossi
- Brain Investigation & Neuromodulation Laboratory (Si-BIN Lab), Department of Medicine, Surgery and Neuroscience, Unit of Neurology and Clinical Neurophysiology, University of Siena, Siena, Italy.,Human Physiology Section, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Neuroscience, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Simone Rossi
- Brain Investigation & Neuromodulation Laboratory (Si-BIN Lab), Department of Medicine, Surgery and Neuroscience, Unit of Neurology and Clinical Neurophysiology, University of Siena, Siena, Italy.,Human Physiology Section, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Neuroscience, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
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25
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Huang F, Zhao Q, Zhou Z, Luo J. People got lost in solving a set of similar problems. Neuroimage 2019; 186:192-199. [PMID: 30449716 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2018.10.063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2018] [Revised: 10/18/2018] [Accepted: 10/24/2018] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
A mental set generally refers to the human brain's tendency to persist with a familiar solution and stubbornly ignore alternatives. However, if a familiar solution is unable to solve a problem similar to a previous problem, does it continue to hinder alternative solutions, and if so, how and why? To answer these questions, a Chinese character decomposition task was adopted in this study. Participants were asked to perform a practice problem that could be solved by a familiar loose chunk decomposition (LCD) solution followed by a test problem that was similar to the practice problem but could only be solved by an unfamiliar tight chunk decomposition (TCD) solution or were asked to repeatedly perform 3-5 practice problems followed by a test problem; the former is the base-set condition, and the latter is the enhanced-set condition. The results showed that the test problem recruited more activation of the inferior frontal gyrus (IFG), middle occipital cortex (MOG), superior parietal lobule (SPL) and dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) than the practice problem in the latter operation and verification stage, but almost equal activation of the dACC occurred in the early exploration stage. This likely implied that people did not think that the familiar but currently invalid LCD solution could not be used to solve the test problem; thus, it continuously competed for attention with the unfamiliar TCD solution, which required more executive control to suppress. Moreover, compared with the base-set condition, the test problem in the enhanced-set condition recruited greater activations of the IFG, SPL and dACC in the latter verification stage but less activations of regions in the left IFG and MOG in the early exploration stage. These results revealed that people less actively explored and had to work harder to operate the unfamiliar TCD solution, particularly to resolve competition from the familiar but currently invalid LCD solution. In conclusion, people lost the ability to identify errors in the familiar but currently invalid solution, which in turn decreased the exploration efforts and increased the processing demands associated with alternative solutions in the form of attentional bias and competition. This finding broadly explains the dilemma of creative problem solving.
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Affiliation(s)
- Furong Huang
- School of Psychology, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang, 330022, China
| | - Qingbai Zhao
- School of Psychology, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, 430079, China.
| | - Zhijin Zhou
- School of Psychology, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, 430079, China.
| | - Jing Luo
- School of Psychology, Capital Normal University, Beijing, 100048, China; Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.
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26
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Webb ME, Cropper SJ, Little DR. “Aha!” is stronger when preceded by a “huh?”: presentation of a solution affects ratings of aha experience conditional on accuracy. THINKING & REASONING 2019. [DOI: 10.1080/13546783.2018.1523807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Margaret E. Webb
- Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
| | - Simon J. Cropper
- Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
| | - Daniel R. Little
- Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
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27
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Abstract
Have you ever had a question in your mind that you want to know the answer to? Or found yourself in an unusual predicament, with no apparent solution before you? These days, most of the time you can just plug the problem into Google, and without a thought, the first result will be your answer, followed by a plethora of other possible solutions. However, before you come to rely too much on the Internet for answers, consider trying to discern the answer for yourself. Critical thinking for problem-solving is an essential skill, one that requires exercise to maintain and refine it, not to do so would put it at risk of atrophy. The brain is a powerhouse of information, with dedicated neural networks for analysis and interpretation that function with exceptional speed and subtlety. Apply your mental faculties in full, and you might be surprised at how much you already know….
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Affiliation(s)
- John A Slayden
- a Pediatrics Department: Neurodiagnostics Lab Aurora Health Care , Milwaukee , Wisconsin
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28
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Abstract
Real world problem-solving (RWPS) is what we do every day. It requires flexibility, resilience, resourcefulness, and a certain degree of creativity. A crucial feature of RWPS is that it involves continuous interaction with the environment during the problem-solving process. In this process, the environment can be seen as not only a source of inspiration for new ideas but also as a tool to facilitate creative thinking. The cognitive neuroscience literature in creativity and problem-solving is extensive, but it has largely focused on neural networks that are active when subjects are not focused on the outside world, i.e., not using their environment. In this paper, I attempt to combine the relevant literature on creativity and problem-solving with the scattered and nascent work in perceptually-driven learning from the environment. I present my synthesis as a potential new theory for real world problem-solving and map out its hypothesized neural basis. I outline some testable predictions made by the model and provide some considerations and ideas for experimental paradigms that could be used to evaluate the model more thoroughly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vasanth Sarathy
- Human-Robot Interaction Laboratory, Department of Computer Science, Tufts University, Medford, MA, United States
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29
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Zhou S, Yin Y, Yu T, Stupple EJN, Luo J. Exploring the Experience of Novelty When Viewing Creative Adverts: An ERP Study. Front Psychol 2018; 9:471. [PMID: 29686637 PMCID: PMC5900800 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2017] [Accepted: 03/21/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The electrophysiological correlates of experiencing novelty in creative advertising were studied in 28 healthy subjects using event-related potentials. Participants viewed images that were difficult to interpret until a description was presented providing either a creative description (CD) featuring an unexpected description of the image based on the original advertisement, or a normal description (ND), which was a literal description of the image (and served as a baseline condition). Participants evaluated the level of creativity of the description. The results showed that the N2 amplitude was higher for CDs than for NDs across middle and right scalp regions between 240 and 270 ms, most likely reflecting conflict detection. Moreover, CDs demonstrated greater N400 than NDs in a time window between 380 and 500 ms, it is argued that this reflects semantic integration. The present study investigates the electrophysiological correlates of experiencing novelty in advertising with ecologically valid stimuli. This substantially extends the findings of earlier laboratory studies with more artificial stimuli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shujin Zhou
- Department of Psychology, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yue Yin
- Department of Psychology, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Tingting Yu
- Department of Psychology, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Edward J N Stupple
- Centre for Psychological Research, University of Derby, Derby, United Kingdom
| | - Junlong Luo
- Department of Psychology, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, China
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30
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Santarnecchi E, Emmendorfer A, Pascual-Leone A. Dissecting the parieto-frontal correlates of fluid intelligence: A comprehensive ALE meta-analysis study. INTELLIGENCE 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.intell.2017.04.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
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