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Aenimal
Member Rara Avis
since 2002-11-18
Posts 7350
the ass-end of space

0 posted 2003-10-02 09:02 AM


Biological Basis For Creativity Linked To Mental Illness


Psychologists from the University of Toronto and Harvard University have identified one of the biological bases of creativity.

The study in the September issue of the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology says the brains of creative people appear to be more open to incoming stimuli from the surrounding environment. Other people's brains might shut out this same information through a process called "latent inhibition" - defined as an animal's unconscious capacity to ignore stimuli that experience has shown are irrelevant to its needs. Through psychological testing, the researchers showed that creative individuals are much more likely to have low levels of latent inhibition.

"This means that creative individuals remain in contact with the extra information constantly streaming in from the environment," says co-author and U of T psychology professor Jordan Peterson. "The normal person classifies an object, and then forgets about it, even though that object is much more complex and interesting than he or she thinks. The creative person, by contrast, is always open to new possibilities."

Previously, scientists have associated failure to screen out stimuli with psychosis. However, Peterson and his co-researchers - lead author and psychology lecturer Shelley Carson of Harvard University's Faculty of Arts and Sciences and Harvard PhD candidate Daniel Higgins - hypothesized that it might also contribute to original thinking, especially when combined with high IQ. They administered tests of latent inhibition to Harvard undergraduates. Those classified as eminent creative achievers - participants under age 21 who reported unusually high scores in a single area of creative achievement - were seven times more likely to have low latent inhibition scores.

The authors hypothesize that latent inhibition may be positive when combined with high intelligence and good working memory - the capacity to think about many things at once - but negative otherwise. Peterson states: "If you are open to new information, new ideas, you better be able to intelligently and carefully edit and choose. If you have 50 ideas, only two or three are likely to be good. You have to be able to discriminate or you'll get swamped."

"Scientists have wondered for a long time why madness and creativity seem linked," says Carson. "It appears likely that low levels of latent inhibition and exceptional flexibility in thought might predispose to mental illness under some conditions and to creative accomplishment under others."

For example, during the early stages of diseases such as schizophrenia, which are often accompanied by feelings of deep insight, mystical knowledge and religious experience, chemical changes take place in which latent inhibition disappears.

"We are very excited by the results of these studies," says Peterson. "It appears that we have not only identified one of the biological bases of creativity but have moved towards cracking an age-old mystery: the relationship between genius, madness and the doors of perception."


This research was funded by the Stimson Fund and the Clark Fund at Harvard University and by the Connaught Fund at U of T.



© Copyright 2003 raphael giuffrida - All Rights Reserved
QjQ
Member Elite
since 2003-04-18
Posts 3756
U.S.A.
1 posted 2003-10-02 10:51 AM


I'm surprised one would do a study to find out for every reason theres a purpose.

                                                                   

wandering glider
Senior Member
since 2001-04-04
Posts 501
aloft
2 posted 2003-10-02 01:35 PM


Labels, definitions, social convention . . .
Nice to see the science emerging, but this one is suspect of its clinical use.
In how many ways do we try to stifle those who do not fit the norm, caring not for their inherent value or their value to us all?

Three cheers for madness !!!

"Learn to fly from your own nest"
glider

serenity blaze
Member Empyrean
since 2000-02-02
Posts 27738

3 posted 2003-10-02 03:29 PM


laughing like Renfield...



Somehow I KNEW this. )

Cpat Hair
Deputy Moderator 1 Tour
Member Patricius
since 2001-06-05
Posts 11793

4 posted 2003-10-02 03:34 PM


"It appears likely that low levels of latent inhibition and exceptional flexibility in thought might predispose to mental illness under some conditions and to creative accomplishment under others."


LOL...

this make far too much sense to me....

Wind
Deputy Moderator 1 Tour
Member Elite
since 2002-10-12
Posts 2981

5 posted 2003-10-02 03:47 PM


and how many years did it take them to find out what common sense should've told them?

And the angel said unto me, "These are the cries of the carrots, the cries of the carrots!"
-Tool

Aenimal
Member Rara Avis
since 2002-11-18
Posts 7350
the ass-end of space
6 posted 2003-10-02 04:37 PM


a fine fine line no?

Liz don't be surprised it sometimes takes us thousands of years to come back to speed.

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