Think Creatively – Block Your Prefrontal Cortex

Writer’s Block – a prime example of how hard it can be to summon creativity on demand.  New research conducted at the University of Pennsylvania has demonstrated that our left prefrontal cortex is the culprit.  Although it is useful for filtering out distractions, allowing for higher thinking, this portion of our brain suppresses our ingenuity.

Armed with weak electrical charges (formally referred to as transcranial direct current stimulation or tDCS), researchers examined the role of the prefrontal cortex on creativity.  Specifically, the current was tuned to precisely silence this area of the brain (i.e. mute it) for the duration of the experiment. Don’t worry – it didn’t hurt.  Participants were then shown photos of everyday objects and given nine seconds to invent alternative uses for them. Have you ever considered using a baseball bat as a rolling pin?  Well, subjects who had the activity of their left-prefrontal cortex inhibited were not only more creative, but significantly faster at it too.

Given that this brain region is responsible for keeping us focused, it makes sense that the left prefrontal cortex limits our imagination.  So why are kids so inventive?  It is because this portion of their brain has yet to fully develop.   Scientists suspect that this unfiltered view of the world allows children to better learn from their environment.  Wouldn’t it be great to bring out your creativity on-demand?  Preferably, without the use of electrical currents…