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Wise TA, Kenett YN. Sparking creativity: Encouraging creative idea generation through automatically generated word recommendations. Behav Res Methods 2024; 56:7939-7962. [PMID: 39014108 PMCID: PMC11362362 DOI: 10.3758/s13428-024-02463-8] [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] [Accepted: 06/12/2024] [Indexed: 07/18/2024]
Abstract
Creative block is a familiar foe to any who attempt to create and is especially related to "writers block". While significant effort has been focused on developing methods to break such blocks, it remains an active challenge. Here, we focus on the role of semantic memory structure in driving creative block, by having people get "stuck" in a certain part of their semantic memory network. We directly examine whether we can "pull out" a participant from where they got "stuck" in their semantic memory, breaking their creative impasse. Our Associative Creativity Sparker (ACS) is a cognitive network science-based online tool that aims to spark creative ideas and break creative impasse: Once a participant runs out of ideas in a creative idea generation task, word recommendations are suggested to prime new ideas. These word recommendations are either towards or away from previous ideas, as well as close or far from the target object, based on a conceptual space extracted from the participants responses using online text analysis. In Study 1, 121 participants use the ACS to generate creative alternative uses for five different objects and completed creativity and Gf tasks. In Study 2, we repeat the design of Study 1, but further examine the impact of writing experience on the ACS, by examining 120 novice and 120 experienced writers. Across both studies, our results indicate that the location of word recommendations affects the fluency and originality of one's ideas, and that novice and experienced writers differently benefit from these word recommendations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Talia A Wise
- Faculty of Data and Decision Sciences, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, 3200003, Haifa, Israel
- Department of Information Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Yoed N Kenett
- Faculty of Data and Decision Sciences, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, 3200003, Haifa, Israel.
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2
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Robinson MM, DeStefano IC, Vul E, Brady TF. Local but not global graph theoretic measures of semantic networks generalize across tasks. Behav Res Methods 2024; 56:5279-5308. [PMID: 38017203 DOI: 10.3758/s13428-023-02271-6] [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] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/30/2023]
Abstract
"Dogs" are connected to "cats" in our minds, and "backyard" to "outdoors." Does the structure of this semantic knowledge differ across people? Network-based approaches are a popular representational scheme for thinking about how relations between different concepts are organized. Recent research uses graph theoretic analyses to examine individual differences in semantic networks for simple concepts and how they relate to other higher-level cognitive processes, such as creativity. However, it remains ambiguous whether individual differences captured via network analyses reflect true differences in measures of the structure of semantic knowledge, or differences in how people strategically approach semantic relatedness tasks. To test this, we examine the reliability of local and global metrics of semantic networks for simple concepts across different semantic relatedness tasks. In four experiments, we find that both weighted and unweighted graph theoretic representations reliably capture individual differences in local measures of semantic networks (e.g., how related pot is to pan versus lion). In contrast, we find that metrics of global structural properties of semantic networks, such as the average clustering coefficient and shortest path length, are less robust across tasks and may not provide reliable individual difference measures of how people represent simple concepts. We discuss the implications of these results and offer recommendations for researchers who seek to apply graph theoretic analyses in the study of individual differences in semantic memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria M Robinson
- Department of Psychology, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA.
| | | | - Edward Vul
- Department of Psychology, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Timothy F Brady
- Department of Psychology, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
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3
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Kumar AA, Apsel M, Zhang L, Xing N, Jones MN. forager: a Python package and web interface for modeling mental search. Behav Res Methods 2024; 56:6332-6348. [PMID: 38087144 DOI: 10.3758/s13428-023-02296-x] [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] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 08/21/2024]
Abstract
Analyzing data from the verbal fluency task (e.g., "name all the animals you can in a minute") is of interest to both memory researchers and clinicians due to its broader implications for memory search and retrieval. Recent work has proposed several computational models to examine nuanced differences in search behavior, which can provide insights into the mechanisms underlying memory search. A prominent account of memory search within the fluency task was proposed by Hills et al. (2012), where mental search is modeled after how animals forage for food in physical space. Despite the broad potential utility of these models to scientists and clinicians, there is currently no open-source program to apply and compare existing foraging models or clustering algorithms without extensive, often redundant programming. To remove this barrier to studying search patterns in the fluency task, we created forager, a Python package ( https://github.com/thelexiconlab/forager ) and web interface ( https://forager.research.bowdoin.edu/ ). forager provides multiple automated methods to designate clusters and switches within a fluency list, implements a novel set of computational models that can examine the influence of multiple lexical sources (semantic, phonological, and frequency) on memory search using semantic embeddings, and also enables researchers to evaluate relative model performance at the individual and group level. The package and web interface cater to users with various levels of programming experience. In this work, we introduce forager's basic functionality and use cases that demonstrate its utility with pre-existing behavioral and clinical data sets of the semantic fluency task.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Molly Apsel
- Indiana University Bloomington, Bloomington, IN, USA
| | - Larry Zhang
- Indiana University Bloomington, Bloomington, IN, USA
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4
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Zioga I, Kenett YN, Giannopoulos A, Luft CDB. The role of alpha oscillations in free- and goal-directed semantic associations. Hum Brain Mapp 2024; 45:e26770. [PMID: 38970217 PMCID: PMC11226545 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.26770] [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: 08/22/2023] [Revised: 05/13/2024] [Accepted: 06/13/2024] [Indexed: 07/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Alpha oscillations are known to play a central role in several higher-order cognitive functions, especially selective attention, working memory, semantic memory, and creative thinking. Nonetheless, we still know very little about the role of alpha in the generation of more remote semantic associations, which is key to creative and semantic cognition. Furthermore, it remains unclear how these oscillations are shaped by the intention to "be creative," which is the case in most creativity tasks. We aimed to address these gaps in two experiments. In Experiment 1, we compared alpha oscillatory activity (using a method which distinguishes genuine oscillatory activity from transient events) during the generation of free associations which were more vs. less distant from a given concept. In Experiment 2, we replicated these findings and also compared alpha oscillatory activity when people were generating free associations versus associations with the instruction to be creative (i.e. goal-directed). We found that alpha was consistently higher during the generation of more distant semantic associations, in both experiments. This effect was widespread, involving areas in both left and right hemispheres. Importantly, the instruction to be creative seems to increase alpha phase synchronisation from left to right temporal brain areas, suggesting that intention to be creative changed the flux of information in the brain, likely reflecting an increase in top-down control of semantic search processes. We conclude that goal-directed generation of remote associations relies on top-down mechanisms compared to when associations are freely generated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ioanna Zioga
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and BehaviourRadboud UniversityNijmegenThe Netherlands
| | - Yoed N. Kenett
- Faculty of Data and Decision Sciences, Technion—Israel Institute of TechnologyHaifaIsrael
| | - Anastasios Giannopoulos
- School of Electrical and Computer EngineeringNational Technical University of Athens (NTUA) AthensAthensGreece
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5
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Herault C, Ovando-Tellez M, Lebuda I, Kenett YN, Beranger B, Benedek M, Volle E. Creative connections: the neural correlates of semantic relatedness are associated with creativity. Commun Biol 2024; 7:810. [PMID: 38961130 PMCID: PMC11222432 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-06493-y] [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: 05/21/2023] [Accepted: 06/22/2024] [Indexed: 07/05/2024] Open
Abstract
The associative theory of creativity proposes that creative ideas result from connecting remotely related concepts in memory. Previous research found that higher creative individuals exhibit a more flexible organization of semantic memory, generate more uncommon word associations, and judge remote concepts as more related. In this study (N = 93), we used fMRI to investigate brain regions involved in judging the relatedness of concepts that vary in their semantic distance, and how such neural involvement relates to individual differences in creativity. Brain regions where activity increased with semantic relatedness mainly overlapped with default, control, salience, semantic control, and multiple demand networks. The default and semantic control networks exhibited increased involvement when evaluating more remote associations. Finally, higher creative people, who provided higher relatedness judgements on average, exhibited lower activity in those regions, possibly reflecting higher neural efficiency. We discuss these findings in the context of the neurocognitive processing underlying creativity. Overall, our findings indicate that judging remote concepts as related reflects a cognitive mechanism underlying creativity and shed light on the neural correlates of this mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Herault
- Sorbonne University, FrontLab at Paris Brain Institute (ICM), INSERM, CNRS, 75013, Paris, France.
| | - Marcela Ovando-Tellez
- Sorbonne University, FrontLab at Paris Brain Institute (ICM), INSERM, CNRS, 75013, Paris, France
| | - Izabela Lebuda
- Institute of Psychology, University of Graz, Graz, Austria
- Institute of Psychology, University of Wroclaw, Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Yoed N Kenett
- The Faculty of Data and Decision Sciences, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, 3200003, Israel
| | - Benoit Beranger
- Sorbonne University, CENIR at Paris Brain Institute (ICM), INSERM, CNRS, 75013, Paris, France
| | | | - Emmanuelle Volle
- Sorbonne University, FrontLab at Paris Brain Institute (ICM), INSERM, CNRS, 75013, Paris, France.
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6
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Malaie S, Spivey MJ, Marghetis T. Divergent and Convergent Creativity Are Different Kinds of Foraging. Psychol Sci 2024; 35:749-759. [PMID: 38713456 DOI: 10.1177/09567976241245695] [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] [Indexed: 05/08/2024] Open
Abstract
According to accounts of neural reuse and embodied cognition, higher-level cognitive abilities recycle evolutionarily ancient mechanisms for perception and action. Here, building on these accounts, we investigate whether creativity builds on our capacity to forage in space ("creativity as strategic foraging"). We report systematic connections between specific forms of creative thinking-divergent and convergent-and corresponding strategies for searching in space. U.S. American adults completed two tasks designed to measure creativity. Before each creativity trial, participants completed an unrelated search of a city map. Between subjects, we manipulated the search pattern, with some participants seeking multiple, dispersed spatial locations and others repeatedly converging on the same location. Participants who searched divergently in space were better at divergent thinking but worse at convergent thinking; this pattern reversed for participants who had converged repeatedly on a single location. These results demonstrate a targeted link between foraging and creativity, thus advancing our understanding of the origins and mechanisms of high-level cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soran Malaie
- Department of Cognitive and Information Sciences, University of California-Merced
| | - Michael J Spivey
- Department of Cognitive and Information Sciences, University of California-Merced
| | - Tyler Marghetis
- Department of Cognitive and Information Sciences, University of California-Merced
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7
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Yin Y, Han J, Childs PRN. An EEG study on artistic and engineering mindsets in students in creative processes. Sci Rep 2024; 14:13364. [PMID: 38862597 PMCID: PMC11166918 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-63324-0] [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: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 05/28/2024] [Indexed: 06/13/2024] Open
Abstract
This study aims to take higher-education students as examples to understand and compare artistic and engineering mindsets in creative processes using EEG. Fifteen Master of Fine Arts (MFA) visual arts and fifteen Master of Engineering (MEng) design engineering students were recruited and asked to complete alternative uses tasks wearing an EEG headset. The results revealed that (1) the engineering-mindset students responded to creative ideas faster than artistic-mindset students. (2) Although in creative processes both artistic- and engineering-mindset students showed Theta, Alpha, and Beta wave activity, the active brain areas are slightly different. The active brain areas of artistic-mindset students in creative processes are mainly in the frontal and occipital lobes; while the whole brain (frontal, oriental, temporal, and occipital lobes) was active in creative processes of engineering-mindset students. (3) During the whole creative process, the brain active level of artistic-mindset students was higher than that of engineering-mindset students. The results of this study fills gaps in existing research where only active brain areas and band waves were compared between artistic- and engineering-mindset students in creative processes. For quick thinking in terms of fluency of generating creative ideas, engineering students have an advantage in comparison to those from the visual arts. Also, the study provided more evidence that mindset can affect the active levels of the brain areas. Finally, this study provides educators with more insights on how to stimulate students' creative ability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Yin
- Dyson School of Design Engineering, Imperial College London, London, UK.
| | - Ji Han
- Department of Innovation, Technology, and Entrepreneurship, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Peter R N Childs
- Dyson School of Design Engineering, Imperial College London, London, UK
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8
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Bieth T, Kenett YN, Ovando-Tellez M, Lopez-Persem A, Lacaux C, Scuccimarra M, Maye I, Sénéchal J, Oudiette D, Volle E. Changes in semantic memory structure support successful problem-solving and analogical transfer. COMMUNICATIONS PSYCHOLOGY 2024; 2:54. [PMID: 39242875 PMCID: PMC11332086 DOI: 10.1038/s44271-024-00100-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2024] [Indexed: 09/09/2024]
Abstract
Creative problem-solving is central in daily life, yet its underlying mechanisms remain elusive. Restructuring (i.e., reorganization of problem-related representations) is considered one problem-solving mechanism and may lead to an abstract problem-related representation facilitating the solving of analogous problems. Here, we used network science methodology to estimate participants' semantic memory networks (SemNets) before and after attempting to solve a riddle. Restructuring was quantified as the difference in SemNets metrics between pre- and post-solving phases. Our results provide initial evidence that problem-related SemNets restructuring may be associated with the successful solving of the riddle and, subsequently, an analogous one. Solution-relevant concepts and semantically remote concepts became more strongly related in solvers. Only changes in semantically remote concepts were instrumental in actively solving the riddle while changes in solution-relevant concepts may reflect a pre-exposure to the solution.
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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, DMU Neuroscience, Paris, France.
- Neurology department, Pitié-Salpêtrière hospital, AP-HP, F-75013, Paris, France.
| | - Yoed N Kenett
- Faculty of Data and Decision Sciences, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, 3200003, Israel
| | - Marcela Ovando-Tellez
- Sorbonne University, Institut du Cerveau - Paris Brain Institute -ICM-, Inserm, CNRS, AP-HP Hôpital de la Pitié-Salpêtrière, DMU Neuroscience, Paris, France
| | - Alizée Lopez-Persem
- Sorbonne University, Institut du Cerveau - Paris Brain Institute -ICM-, Inserm, CNRS, AP-HP Hôpital de la Pitié-Salpêtrière, DMU Neuroscience, Paris, France
| | - Célia Lacaux
- Sorbonne University, Institut du Cerveau - Paris Brain Institute -ICM-, Inserm, CNRS, AP-HP Hôpital de la Pitié-Salpêtrière, DMU Neuroscience, Paris, France
- Sleep center, Pitié-Salpêtrière hospital, AP-HP, F-75013, Paris, France
| | - Marie Scuccimarra
- Sorbonne University, Institut du Cerveau - Paris Brain Institute -ICM-, Inserm, CNRS, AP-HP Hôpital de la Pitié-Salpêtrière, DMU Neuroscience, Paris, France
| | - Inès Maye
- Sorbonne University, Institut du Cerveau - Paris Brain Institute -ICM-, Inserm, CNRS, AP-HP Hôpital de la Pitié-Salpêtrière, DMU Neuroscience, Paris, France
| | - Jade Sénéchal
- Sorbonne University, Institut du Cerveau - Paris Brain Institute -ICM-, Inserm, CNRS, AP-HP Hôpital de la Pitié-Salpêtrière, DMU Neuroscience, Paris, France
| | - Delphine Oudiette
- Sorbonne University, Institut du Cerveau - Paris Brain Institute -ICM-, Inserm, CNRS, AP-HP Hôpital de la Pitié-Salpêtrière, DMU Neuroscience, Paris, France.
- Sleep center, Pitié-Salpêtrière hospital, AP-HP, F-75013, Paris, France.
| | - Emmanuelle Volle
- Sorbonne University, Institut du Cerveau - Paris Brain Institute -ICM-, Inserm, CNRS, AP-HP Hôpital de la Pitié-Salpêtrière, DMU Neuroscience, Paris, France.
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9
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Wang X, Chen Q, Zhuang K, Zhang J, Cortes RA, Holzman DD, Fan L, Liu C, Sun J, Li X, Li Y, Feng Q, Chen H, Feng T, Lei X, He Q, Green AE, Qiu J. Semantic associative abilities and executive control functions predict novelty and appropriateness of idea generation. Commun Biol 2024; 7:703. [PMID: 38849461 PMCID: PMC11161622 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-06405-0] [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: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 05/31/2024] [Indexed: 06/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Novelty and appropriateness are two fundamental components of creativity. However, the way in which novelty and appropriateness are separated at behavioral and neural levels remains poorly understood. In the present study, we aim to distinguish behavioral and neural bases of novelty and appropriateness of creative idea generation. In alignment with two established theories of creative thinking, which respectively, emphasize semantic association and executive control, behavioral results indicate that novelty relies more on associative abilities, while appropriateness relies more on executive functions. Next, employing a connectome predictive modeling (CPM) approach in resting-state fMRI data, we define two functional network-based models-dominated by interactions within the default network and by interactions within the limbic network-that respectively, predict novelty and appropriateness (i.e., cross-brain prediction). Furthermore, the generalizability and specificity of the two functional connectivity patterns are verified in additional resting-state fMRI and task fMRI. Finally, the two functional connectivity patterns, respectively mediate the relationship between semantic association/executive control and novelty/appropriateness. These findings provide global and predictive distinctions between novelty and appropriateness in creative idea generation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xueyang Wang
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (SWU), Ministry of Education, Chongqing, China
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Qunlin Chen
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (SWU), Ministry of Education, Chongqing, China
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Kaixiang Zhuang
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (SWU), Ministry of Education, Chongqing, China
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Jingyi Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (SWU), Ministry of Education, Chongqing, China
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Robert A Cortes
- Department of Psychology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Daniel D Holzman
- Department of Psychology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Li Fan
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (SWU), Ministry of Education, Chongqing, China
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Cheng Liu
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (SWU), Ministry of Education, Chongqing, China
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Jiangzhou Sun
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (SWU), Ministry of Education, Chongqing, China
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xianrui Li
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (SWU), Ministry of Education, Chongqing, China
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yu Li
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (SWU), Ministry of Education, Chongqing, China
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Qiuyang Feng
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (SWU), Ministry of Education, Chongqing, China
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Hong Chen
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (SWU), Ministry of Education, Chongqing, China
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Tingyong Feng
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (SWU), Ministry of Education, Chongqing, China
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xu Lei
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (SWU), Ministry of Education, Chongqing, China
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Qinghua He
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (SWU), Ministry of Education, Chongqing, China
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Adam E Green
- Department of Psychology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, USA.
| | - Jiang Qiu
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (SWU), Ministry of Education, Chongqing, China.
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China.
- Southwest University Branch, Collaborative Innovation Center of Assessment Toward Basic Education Quality, Beijing Normal University, Chongqing, China.
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10
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Wang X, Krieger-Redwood K, Lyu B, Lowndes R, Wu G, Souter NE, Wang X, Kong R, Shafiei G, Bernhardt BC, Cui Z, Smallwood J, Du Y, Jefferies E. The Brain's Topographical Organization Shapes Dynamic Interaction Patterns That Support Flexible Behavior Based on Rules and Long-Term Knowledge. J Neurosci 2024; 44:e2223232024. [PMID: 38527807 PMCID: PMC11140685 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2223-23.2024] [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: 11/15/2023] [Revised: 03/14/2024] [Accepted: 03/17/2024] [Indexed: 03/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Adaptive behavior relies both on specific rules that vary across situations and stable long-term knowledge gained from experience. The frontoparietal control network (FPCN) is implicated in the brain's ability to balance these different influences on action. Here, we investigate how the topographical organization of the cortex supports behavioral flexibility within the FPCN. Functional properties of this network might reflect its juxtaposition between the dorsal attention network (DAN) and the default mode network (DMN), two large-scale systems implicated in top-down attention and memory-guided cognition, respectively. Our study tests whether subnetworks of FPCN are topographically proximal to the DAN and the DMN, respectively, and how these topographical differences relate to functional differences: the proximity of each subnetwork is anticipated to play a pivotal role in generating distinct cognitive modes relevant to working memory and long-term memory. We show that FPCN subsystems share multiple anatomical and functional similarities with their neighboring systems (DAN and DMN) and that this topographical architecture supports distinct interaction patterns that give rise to different patterns of functional behavior. The FPCN acts as a unified system when long-term knowledge supports behavior but becomes segregated into discrete subsystems with different patterns of interaction when long-term memory is less relevant. In this way, our study suggests that the topographical organization of the FPCN and the connections it forms with distant regions of cortex are important influences on how this system supports flexible behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiuyi Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- Department of Psychology, University of York, Heslington, York YO10 5DD, United Kingdom
| | - Katya Krieger-Redwood
- Department of Psychology, University of York, Heslington, York YO10 5DD, United Kingdom
| | - Baihan Lyu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Rebecca Lowndes
- Department of Psychology, University of York, Heslington, York YO10 5DD, United Kingdom
| | - Guowei Wu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Nicholas E Souter
- Department of Psychology, University of York, Heslington, York YO10 5DD, United Kingdom
| | - Xiaokang Wang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Davis, California 95616
| | - Ru Kong
- Centre for Sleep and Cognition (CSC) & Centre for Translational Magnetic Resonance Research (TMR), Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117549, Singapore
| | - Golia Shafiei
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104
| | - Boris C Bernhardt
- McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 2B4, Canada
| | - Zaixu Cui
- Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Beijing 102206, China
| | - Jonathan Smallwood
- Department of Psychology, Queens University, Kingston, Ontario K7L 3N6, Canada
| | - Yi Du
- CAS Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Beijing 102206, China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Elizabeth Jefferies
- Department of Psychology, University of York, Heslington, York YO10 5DD, United Kingdom
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11
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Benedek M. On the dual nature of creativity: Same same but different? Behav Brain Sci 2024; 47:e95. [PMID: 38770847 DOI: 10.1017/s0140525x23003308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
The creativity literature is replete with dualistic constructs, suggesting shared mechanisms but also tempting overinterpretation of their interrelations. An explicit list of relevant concept associations indicates substantial commonality, yet also exposes certain inconsistencies. Dual-process accounts (A and B is relevant) hold promise in resolving discrepancies to the extent that we understand the relative contributions and conditions of A and B.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathias Benedek
- Department of Psychology, University of Graz, Graz, Austria ://creativecognitionlab.uni-graz.at/
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12
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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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13
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Stella M, Citraro S, Rossetti G, Marinazzo D, Kenett YN, Vitevitch MS. Cognitive modelling of concepts in the mental lexicon with multilayer networks: Insights, advancements, and future challenges. Psychon Bull Rev 2024:10.3758/s13423-024-02473-9. [PMID: 38438713 DOI: 10.3758/s13423-024-02473-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/28/2024] [Indexed: 03/06/2024]
Abstract
The mental lexicon is a complex cognitive system representing information about the words/concepts that one knows. Over decades psychological experiments have shown that conceptual associations across multiple, interactive cognitive levels can greatly influence word acquisition, storage, and processing. How can semantic, phonological, syntactic, and other types of conceptual associations be mapped within a coherent mathematical framework to study how the mental lexicon works? Here we review cognitive multilayer networks as a promising quantitative and interpretative framework for investigating the mental lexicon. Cognitive multilayer networks can map multiple types of information at once, thus capturing how different layers of associations might co-exist within the mental lexicon and influence cognitive processing. This review starts with a gentle introduction to the structure and formalism of multilayer networks. We then discuss quantitative mechanisms of psychological phenomena that could not be observed in single-layer networks and were only unveiled by combining multiple layers of the lexicon: (i) multiplex viability highlights language kernels and facilitative effects of knowledge processing in healthy and clinical populations; (ii) multilayer community detection enables contextual meaning reconstruction depending on psycholinguistic features; (iii) layer analysis can mediate latent interactions of mediation, suppression, and facilitation for lexical access. By outlining novel quantitative perspectives where multilayer networks can shed light on cognitive knowledge representations, including in next-generation brain/mind models, we discuss key limitations and promising directions for cutting-edge future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Massimo Stella
- CogNosco Lab, Department of Psychology and Cognitive Science, University of Trento, Trento, Italy.
| | - Salvatore Citraro
- Institute of Information Science and Technologies, National Research Council, Pisa, Italy
| | - Giulio Rossetti
- Institute of Information Science and Technologies, National Research Council, Pisa, Italy
| | - Daniele Marinazzo
- Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Department of Data Analysis, University of Ghent, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Yoed N Kenett
- Faculty of Data and Decision Sciences, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
| | - Michael S Vitevitch
- Department of Speech Language Hearing, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA
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14
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Marko M, Michalko D, Kubinec A, Riečanský I. Measuring semantic memory using associative and dissociative retrieval tasks. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2024; 11:231208. [PMID: 38328566 PMCID: PMC10846956 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.231208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
Recent theoretical advances highlighted the need for novel means of assessing semantic cognition. Here, we introduce the associative-dissociative retrieval task (ADT), positing a novel way to test inhibitory control over semantic memory retrieval by contrasting the efficacy of associative (automatic) and dissociative (controlled) retrieval on a standard set of verbal stimuli. All ADT measures achieved excellent reliability, homogeneity, and short-term temporal stability. Moreover, in-depth stimulus level analyses showed that the associative retrieval is easier for words evoking few but strong associates, yet such propensity hampers the inhibition. Finally, we provided critical support for the construct validity of the ADT measures, demonstrating reliable correlations with domain-specific measures of semantic memory functioning (semantic fluency and associative combination) but negligible correlations with domain-general capacities (processing speed and working memory). Together, we show that ADT provides simple yet potent and psychometrically sound measures of semantic memory retrieval and offers noteworthy advantages over the currently available assessment methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Marko
- Department of Behavioural Neuroscience, Centre of Experimental Medicine, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Sienkiewiczova 1, Bratislava, 813 71, Slovakia
- Department of Applied Informatics, Faculty of Mathematics, Physics and Informatics, Comenius University in Bratislava, Mlynská dolina F1, Bratislava, 842 48, Slovakia
| | - Drahomír Michalko
- Department of Behavioural Neuroscience, Centre of Experimental Medicine, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Sienkiewiczova 1, Bratislava, 813 71, Slovakia
| | - Adam Kubinec
- Department of Behavioural Neuroscience, Centre of Experimental Medicine, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Sienkiewiczova 1, Bratislava, 813 71, Slovakia
| | - Igor Riečanský
- Department of Behavioural Neuroscience, Centre of Experimental Medicine, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Sienkiewiczova 1, Bratislava, 813 71, Slovakia
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Slovak Medical University in Bratislava, Limbova 12, Bratislava, 833 03, Slovakia
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15
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Zemla JC, Gooding DC, Austerweil JL. Evidence for optimal semantic search throughout adulthood. Sci Rep 2023; 13:22528. [PMID: 38110643 PMCID: PMC10728182 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-49858-9] [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: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 12/20/2023] Open
Abstract
As people age, they learn and store new knowledge in their semantic memory. Despite learning a tremendous amount of information, people can still recall information relevant to the current situation with ease. To accomplish this, the mind must efficiently organize and search a vast store of information. It also must continue to retrieve information effectively despite changes in cognitive mechanisms due to healthy aging, including a general slowing in information processing and a decline in executive functioning. How effectively does the mind of an individual adjust its search to account for changes due to aging? We tested 746 people ages 25 through 69 on a semantic fluency task (free listing animals) and found that, on average, retrieval follows an optimal path through semantic memory. Participants tended to list a sequence of semantically related animals (e.g., lion, tiger, puma) before switching to a semantically unrelated animal (e.g., whale). We found that the timing of these transitions to semantically unrelated animals was remarkably consistent with an optimal strategy for maximizing the overall rate of retrieval (i.e., the number of animals listed per unit time). Age did not affect an individual's deviation from the optimal strategy given their general performance, suggesting that people adapt and continue to search memory optimally throughout their lives. We argue that this result is more likely due to compensating for a general slowing than a decline in executive functioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey C Zemla
- Department of Psychology, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY, USA.
| | - Diane C Gooding
- Department of Psychology, College of Letters and Science, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, SMPH, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
- Department of Medicine, Division of Gerontology and Geriatrics, SMPH, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Joseph L Austerweil
- Department of Psychology, College of Letters and Science, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
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16
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Kenett YN, Beaty RE. On semantic structures and processes in creative thinking. Trends Cogn Sci 2023; 27:979-980. [PMID: 37634953 DOI: 10.1016/j.tics.2023.07.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2023] [Accepted: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/29/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Yoed N Kenett
- Faculty of Data and Decision Sciences, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel.
| | - Roger E Beaty
- Department of Psychology, Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA, USA
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17
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Lundin NB, Brown JW, Johns BT, Jones MN, Purcell JR, Hetrick WP, O’Donnell BF, Todd PM. Neural evidence of switch processes during semantic and phonetic foraging in human memory. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2312462120. [PMID: 37824523 PMCID: PMC10589708 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2312462120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2023] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Humans may retrieve words from memory by exploring and exploiting in "semantic space" similar to how nonhuman animals forage for resources in physical space. This has been studied using the verbal fluency test (VFT), in which participants generate words belonging to a semantic or phonetic category in a limited time. People produce bursts of related items during VFT, referred to as "clustering" and "switching." The strategic foraging model posits that cognitive search behavior is guided by a monitoring process which detects relevant declines in performance and then triggers the searcher to seek a new patch or cluster in memory after the current patch has been depleted. An alternative body of research proposes that this behavior can be explained by an undirected rather than strategic search process, such as random walks with or without random jumps to new parts of semantic space. This study contributes to this theoretical debate by testing for neural evidence of strategically timed switches during memory search. Thirty participants performed category and letter VFT during functional MRI. Responses were classified as cluster or switch events based on computational metrics of similarity and participant evaluations. Results showed greater hippocampal and posterior cerebellar activation during switching than clustering, even while controlling for interresponse times and linguistic distance. Furthermore, these regions exhibited ramping activity which increased during within-patch search leading up to switches. Findings support the strategic foraging model, clarifying how neural switch processes may guide memory search in a manner akin to foraging in patchy spatial environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nancy B. Lundin
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN47405
- Program in Neuroscience, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN47405
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH43210
| | - Joshua W. Brown
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN47405
- Program in Neuroscience, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN47405
- Cognitive Science Program, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN47405
| | - Brendan T. Johns
- Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montréal, QCH3A 1G1, Canada
| | - Michael N. Jones
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN47405
- Cognitive Science Program, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN47405
| | - John R. Purcell
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN47405
- Program in Neuroscience, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN47405
- Department of Psychiatry, Brain Health Institute, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ08854
| | - William P. Hetrick
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN47405
- Program in Neuroscience, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN47405
- Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN46202
| | - Brian F. O’Donnell
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN47405
- Program in Neuroscience, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN47405
- Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN46202
| | - Peter M. Todd
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN47405
- Cognitive Science Program, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN47405
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18
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Reilly J, Finley AM, Litovsky CP, Kenett YN. Bigram semantic distance as an index of continuous semantic flow in natural language: Theory, tools, and applications. J Exp Psychol Gen 2023; 152:2578-2590. [PMID: 37079833 PMCID: PMC10790181 DOI: 10.1037/xge0001389] [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] [Indexed: 04/22/2023]
Abstract
Much of our understanding of word meaning has been informed through studies of single words. High-dimensional semantic space models have recently proven instrumental in elucidating connections between words. Here we show how bigram semantic distance can yield novel insights into conceptual cohesion and topic flow when computed over continuous language samples. For example, "Cats drink milk" is comprised of an ordered vector of bigrams (cat-drink, drink-milk). Each of these bigrams has a unique semantic distance. These distances in turn may provide a metric of dispersion or the flow of concepts as language unfolds. We offer an R-package ("semdistflow") that transforms any user-specified language transcript into a vector of ordered bigrams, appending two metrics of semantic distance to each pair. We validated these distance metrics on a continuous stream of simulated verbal fluency data assigning predicted switch markers between alternating semantic clusters (animals, musical instruments, fruit). We then generated bigram distance norms on a large sample of text and demonstrated applications of the technique to a classic work of short fiction, To Build a Fire (London, 1908). In one application, we showed that bigrams spanning sentence boundaries are punctuated by jumps in the semantic distance. We discuss the promise of this technique for characterizing semantic processing in real-world narratives and for bridging findings at the single word level with macroscale discourse analyses. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).
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Affiliation(s)
- Jamie Reilly
- Eleanor M. Saffran Center for Cognitive Neuroscience
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania USA
| | - Ann Marie Finley
- Eleanor M. Saffran Center for Cognitive Neuroscience
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania USA
| | - Celia P. Litovsky
- Eleanor M. Saffran Center for Cognitive Neuroscience
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania USA
| | - Yoed N. Kenett
- Faculty of Faculty of Data and Decision Sciences, Technion Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
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19
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Lebuda I, Benedek M. A systematic framework of creative metacognition. Phys Life Rev 2023; 46:161-181. [PMID: 37478624 DOI: 10.1016/j.plrev.2023.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 07/23/2023]
Abstract
Creative cognition does not just involve cognitive processes in direct service of the main task objective (e.g., idea generation), but also metacognitive processes that monitor and regulate cognition adaptively (e.g., evaluation of ideas and task performance, or development and selection of task strategies). Although metacognition is vital for creative performance, relevant work is sparse, which may be partly due to persistent ambiguities in the theoretical conceptualization of creative metacognition. Therefore, this article proposes a systematic framework of creative metacognition (CMC), which builds on recent advancements in metacognition theory and extends them to meet the specifics of creative cognition. The CMC framework consists of two dynamic components-monitoring and control-and a more static component of metacognitive knowledge, each subsuming metacognitive processes applying to the level of task, performance, and responses. We describe the presumed function of these metacognitive components in the creative process, present evidence in support of each, and discuss their association with related constructs, such as creative self-beliefs. We further highlight the dynamic interplay of metacognitive processes across task performance and identify promising avenues for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Izabela Lebuda
- University of Graz, Austria; University of Wrocław, Poland.
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20
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Beaty RE, Kenett YN. Associative thinking at the core of creativity. Trends Cogn Sci 2023; 27:671-683. [PMID: 37246025 DOI: 10.1016/j.tics.2023.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2023] [Revised: 04/08/2023] [Accepted: 04/11/2023] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Creativity has long been thought to involve associative processes in memory: connecting concepts to form ideas, inventions, and artworks. However, associative thinking has been difficult to study due to limitations in modeling memory structure and retrieval processes. Recent advances in computational models of semantic memory allow researchers to examine how people navigate a semantic space of concepts when forming associations, revealing key search strategies associated with creativity. Here, we synthesize cognitive, computational, and neuroscience research on creativity and associative thinking. This Review highlights distinctions between free- and goal-directed association, illustrates the role of associative thinking in the arts, and links associative thinking to brain systems supporting both semantic and episodic memory - offering a new perspective on a longstanding creativity theory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roger E Beaty
- Department of Psychology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA.
| | - Yoed N Kenett
- Faculty of Data and Decision Sciences, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
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21
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Samuel G, Stella M, Beaty RE, Kenett YN. Predicting openness to experience via a multiplex cognitive network approach. JOURNAL OF RESEARCH IN PERSONALITY 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jrp.2023.104369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/29/2023]
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22
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Kruse JA, Martin CS, Hamlin N, Slattery E, Moriarty EM, Horne LK, Ozkalp-Poincloux B, Camarda A, White SF, Oleson J, Cassotti M, Doucet GE. Changes of creative ability and underlying brain network connectivity throughout the lifespan. Brain Cogn 2023; 168:105975. [PMID: 37031635 PMCID: PMC10175225 DOI: 10.1016/j.bandc.2023.105975] [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: 02/13/2023] [Revised: 03/30/2023] [Accepted: 03/31/2023] [Indexed: 04/11/2023]
Abstract
Creativity, or divergent thinking, is essential to and supported by cognitive functions necessary for everyday tasks. The current study investigates divergent thinking and its neural mechanisms from adolescence to late adulthood. To do this, 180 healthy participants completed a creativity task called the egg task including 86 adolescents (mean age (SD) = 13.62 (1.98)), 52 young adults (24.92 (3.60), and 42 older adults (62.84 (7.02)). Additionally, a subsample of 111 participants completed a resting-state fMRI scan. After investigating the impact of age on different divergent thinking metrics, we investigated the impact of age on the association between divergent thinking and resting-state functional connectivity within and between major resting-state brain networks associated with creative thinking: the DMN, ECN, and SN. Adolescents tended to be less creative than both young and older adults in divergent thinking scores related to expansion creativity, and not in persistent creativity, while young and older adults performed relatively similar. We found that adolescents' functional integrity of the executive control network (ECN) was positively associated with expansion creativity, which was significantly different from the negative association in both the young and older adults. These results suggest that creative performance and supporting brain networks change throughout the lifespan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordanna A Kruse
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Casey S Martin
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Noah Hamlin
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Emma Slattery
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Eibhlis M Moriarty
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Lucy K Horne
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Omaha, NE, USA
| | | | - Anaelle Camarda
- Institut Supérieur Maria Montessori, France; Université Paris Cité and Université Gustave Eiffel, LaPEA, Boulogne-Billancourt, France
| | - Stuart F White
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Omaha, NE, USA; Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Creighton University School of Medicine, Omaha, NE, USA
| | | | | | - Gaelle E Doucet
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Omaha, NE, USA; Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Creighton University School of Medicine, Omaha, NE, USA.
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23
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Ovando-Tellez M, Kenett YN, Benedek M, Bernard M, Belo J, Beranger B, Bieth T, Volle E. Brain Connectivity-Based Prediction of Combining Remote Semantic Associates for Creative Thinking. CREATIVITY RESEARCH JOURNAL 2023. [DOI: 10.1080/10400419.2023.2192563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/08/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Marcela Ovando-Tellez
- Sorbonne University, FrontLab at Paris Brain Institute (ICM), INSERM, CNRS, Paris, France
| | - Yoed N. Kenett
- Faculty of Data and Decision Sciences, Technion – Israel Institute of Technology,Haifa Israel
| | | | - Matthieu Bernard
- Sorbonne University, FrontLab at Paris Brain Institute (ICM), INSERM, CNRS, Paris, France
| | - Joan Belo
- Sorbonne University, FrontLab at Paris Brain Institute (ICM), INSERM, CNRS, Paris, France
| | - Benoit Beranger
- Sorbonne University, CENIR at Paris Brain Institute (ICM), INSERM, CNRS, Paris, France
| | - Theophile Bieth
- Sorbonne University, FrontLab at Paris Brain Institute (ICM), INSERM, CNRS, Paris, France
- Neurology department, Pitié-Salpêtrière hospital, AP-HP, Paris, France
| | - Emmanuelle Volle
- Sorbonne University, FrontLab at Paris Brain Institute (ICM), INSERM, CNRS, Paris, France
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24
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Merseal HM, Beaty RE, Kenett YN, Lloyd-Cox J, de Manzano Ö, Norgaard M. Representing melodic relationships using network science. Cognition 2023; 233:105362. [PMID: 36628852 DOI: 10.1016/j.cognition.2022.105362] [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: 05/23/2022] [Revised: 11/13/2022] [Accepted: 12/18/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Music is a complex system consisting of many dimensions and hierarchically organized information-the organization of which, to date, we do not fully understand. Network science provides a powerful approach to representing such complex systems, from the social networks of people to modelling the underlying network structures of different cognitive mechanisms. In the present research, we explored whether network science methodology can be extended to model the melodic patterns underlying expert improvised music. Using a large corpus of transcribed improvisations, we constructed a network model in which 5-pitch sequences were linked depending on consecutive occurrences, constituting 116,403 nodes (sequences) and 157,429 edges connecting them. We then investigated whether mathematical graph modelling relates to musical characteristics in real-world listening situations via a behavioral experiment paralleling those used to examine language. We found that as melodic distance within the network increased, participants judged melodic sequences as less related. Moreover, the relationship between distance and reaction time (RT) judgements was quadratic: participants slowed in RT up to distance four, then accelerated; a parallel finding to research in language networks. This study offers insights into the hidden network structure of improvised tonal music and suggests that humans are sensitive to the property of melodic distance in this network. More generally, our work demonstrates the similarity between music and language as complex systems, and how network science methods can be used to quantify different aspects of its complexity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah M Merseal
- Department of Psychology, Pennsylvania State University, United States.
| | - Roger E Beaty
- Department of Psychology, Pennsylvania State University, United States
| | - Yoed N Kenett
- Faculty of Data and Decisions Sciences, Technion Institute of Technology, Israel
| | - James Lloyd-Cox
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Goldsmiths, University of London, England, United Kingdom
| | - Örjan de Manzano
- Department of Cognitive Neuropsychology, Max Planck Institute for Empirical Aesthetics, Germany
| | - Martin Norgaard
- Department of Music Education, Georgia State University, United States
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25
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Michalko D, Marko M, Riečanský I. Response modularity moderates how executive control aids fluent semantic memory retrieval. Memory 2023:1-8. [PMID: 36945859 DOI: 10.1080/09658211.2023.2191902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/23/2023]
Abstract
ABSTRACTEmerging work in semantic cognition has begun to elucidate the interaction between the structure of semantic memory and processes mediating goal-directed memory retrieval. Despite having essential implications for basic and applied research, these objectives remain neglected in both the assessment and interpretation of semantic verbal fluency (SVF) tasks. To test the association between semantic structure and the controlled processes underlying verbal fluency, we assessed how the degree of partitioning (modularity) of SVF responses into semantic clusters moderates the relationship of retrieval fluency with working memory and interference control capacities. We found that working memory capacity predicted retrieval fluency in individuals whose SVF responses were arranged in fine-grained semantic clusters (high modularity), whereas interference control was more predictive of retrieval fluency for individuals who delivered responses of low modularity. Our data support the presumed role of working memory and interference control in SVF and provide novel evidence that relative demands on these capacities are predicted by the organisation of semantic knowledge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Drahomír Michalko
- Department of Behavioural Neuroscience, Centre of Experimental Medicine, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Martin Marko
- Department of Behavioural Neuroscience, Centre of Experimental Medicine, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
- Department of Applied Informatics, Faculty of Mathematics, Physics and Informatics, Comenius University in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Igor Riečanský
- Department of Behavioural Neuroscience, Centre of Experimental Medicine, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Slovak Medical University in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovakia
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Kenett YN, Humphries S, Chatterjee A. A Thirst for Knowledge: Grounding Curiosity, Creativity, and Aesthetics in Memory and Reward Neural Systems. CREATIVITY RESEARCH JOURNAL 2023. [DOI: 10.1080/10400419.2023.2165748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Yoed N. Kenett
- Technion - Faculty of Data and Decision Sciences, Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
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27
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He R, Zhuang K, Liu L, Ding K, Wang X, Fu L, Qiu J, Chen Q. The impact of knowledge on poetry composition: An fMRI investigation. BRAIN AND LANGUAGE 2022; 235:105202. [PMID: 36399814 DOI: 10.1016/j.bandl.2022.105202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2022] [Revised: 10/30/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Poetry composition is an ecologically valid approach for investigating creative processes. However, little is known about how the brain creates poetry and about the role of knowledge during poetry composition. Here, we identified patterns of task-based functional connectivity during poetry composition by experts and novices under two experimental conditions (familiar vs unfamiliar themes) and one control condition. Poetry composition was related to large-scale network connectivity between the language network (LN) and the right executive control network (RECN), precuneus, and higher visual network. Under familiar themes, poetry composition recruited more functional connections between the RECN and default mode network, whereas using unfamiliar themes elicited more functional connections between sensorimotor and visual networks. Moreover, the strength of LN-RECN is positively correlated with originality in the familiar condition, while negatively correlated with originality in the unfamiliar condition. These results reveal the brain connectivity patterns and highlight the importance of knowledge underlying poetry composition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruizhi He
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (Southwest University), Ministry of Education, Chongqing, China; Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Kaixiang Zhuang
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (Southwest University), Ministry of Education, Chongqing, China; Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Lijun Liu
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (Southwest University), Ministry of Education, Chongqing, China; Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Ke Ding
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (Southwest University), Ministry of Education, Chongqing, China; Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xi Wang
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (Southwest University), Ministry of Education, Chongqing, China; Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Lei Fu
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (Southwest University), Ministry of Education, Chongqing, China; Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Jiang Qiu
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (Southwest University), Ministry of Education, Chongqing, China; Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China; Southwest University Branch, Collaborative Innovation Center of Assessment Toward Basic Education Quality at Beijing Normal University, China; Key Laboratory Of Child Cognition & Behavior Development Of Hainan Province, Qiongtai Normal University, Haikou 571127, China.
| | - Qunlin Chen
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (Southwest University), Ministry of Education, Chongqing, China; Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China.
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28
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Zhang J, Zhuang K, Sun J, Liu C, Fan L, Wang X, Gu J, Qiu J. Retrieval flexibility links to creativity: evidence from computational linguistic measure. Cereb Cortex 2022; 33:4964-4976. [PMID: 36218835 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhac392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2022] [Revised: 09/08/2022] [Accepted: 09/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Creativity, the ability to generate original and valuable products, has long been linked to semantic retrieval processes. The associative theory of creativity posits flexible retrieval ability as an important basis for creative idea generation. However, there is insufficient research on how flexible memory retrieval acts on creative activities. This study aimed to capture different dynamic aspects of retrieval processes and examine the behavioral and neural associations between retrieval flexibility and creativity. We developed 5 metrics to quantify retrieval flexibility based on previous studies, which confirmed the important role of creativity. Our findings showed that retrieval flexibility was positively correlated with multiple creativity-related behavior constructs and can promote distinct search patterns in different creative groups. Moreover, high flexibility was associated with the lifetime of a specific brain state during rest, characterized by interactions among large-scale cognitive brain systems. The flexible functional connectivity within and between default mode, executive control, and salience provides further evidence on brain dynamics of creativity. Retrieval flexibility mediated the links between the lifetime of the related brain state and creativity. This new approach is expected to enhance our knowledge of the role of retrieval flexibility in creativity from a dynamic perspective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingyi Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (SWU), Ministry of Education, Chongqing 400715, China.,Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Kaixiang Zhuang
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (SWU), Ministry of Education, Chongqing 400715, China.,Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Jiangzhou Sun
- College of International Studies, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Cheng Liu
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (SWU), Ministry of Education, Chongqing 400715, China.,Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Li Fan
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (SWU), Ministry of Education, Chongqing 400715, China.,Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Xueyang Wang
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (SWU), Ministry of Education, Chongqing 400715, China.,Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Jing Gu
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (SWU), Ministry of Education, Chongqing 400715, China.,Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Jiang Qiu
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (SWU), Ministry of Education, Chongqing 400715, China.,Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China.,Southwest University Branch, Collaborative Innovation Center of Assessment Toward Basic Education Quality at Beijing Normal University, Chongqing 400715 , China
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