Historically, the brain bases of creativity have been of great interest to scholars and the public alike. However, recent technological innovations in the neurosciences, coupled with theoretical and methodological advances in creativity assessment, have enabled humans to gain unprecedented insights into the contributions of the brain to creative thought. This unique volume brings together contributions by the very best scholars to offer a comprehensive overview of cutting-edge research on this important and fascinating topic. The chapters discuss creativity’s relationship with intelligence, motivation, psychopathology, and pharmacology, as well as the contributions of general psychological processes to creativity, such as attention, memory, imagination, and language. This book also includes specific and novel approaches to understanding creativity involving musicians, polymaths, animal models, and psychedelic experiences. The chapters are meant to give the reader a solid grasp of the diversity of approaches currently at play in this active and rapidly growing field of inquiry.

Praise for the Book

“Forget a paper clip. How many ways can you think of to use a book on the neuroscience of creativity? Take as much time as you like because each of the 30 chapters has many uses and insights for students and researchers alike. Despite the complexities, creativity can be studied scientifically as it percolates deep within the brain. This book defines the current field and adds to similar investigations of the neuroscience of consciousness and intelligence.”
— Richard J. Haier, professor emeritus, University of California, Irvine