However, a new study suggests we forget the 'right-brain' myth. Research indicates that it’s how well the two brain hemispheres communicate that sets highly creative people apart.
Studying white matter networks
Researchers analysed the network of white matter connections among 68 separate brain regions in healthy college-age volunteers.
The brain's white matter lies underneath the outer grey matter. It is composed of bundles of wires or axons, which connect billions of neurons and carry electrical signals between them.
They collected the data using an MRI technique called diffusion tensor imaging, which allows researchers to peer through the skull of a living person and trace the paths of all the axons by following the movement of water along them. Computers then comb through each of the 1-gigabyte scans and convert them to three-dimensional maps, wiring diagrams of the brain.
Testing creativity
Researchers used a combination of tests to assess creativity, including:
- A type of problem-solving called 'divergent thinking', or the ability to come up with many answers to a question
- Drawing as many geometric designs as participants could in five minutes
- Listing as many new uses for everyday objects - such as a brick or a paper clip - as participants could
- The participants also filled out a questionnaire about their achievements in 10 areas, including the visual arts, music, creative writing, dance, cooking and science.
The responses were used to calculate a composite creativity score for each person. Trained computers sifted through the data and identify differences in brain structure.
