The case of creativity and the entire brain

We all know right/left brain theory is debunked. It is not true that you only use the right side of the brain for creative thinking. Surprisingly, the process of artistic thinking and creativity span three lobes of the brain (temporal, parietal and occipital) and include two large scale network of cells.

This means, well, you use most of your brain for the creation of art. Surprise surprise! Its a highly cognitive function requiring the totality of your thinking cap. The two large scale network of cells can be described as a default mode, and an active mode. The former is active during self-generated thoughts like daydreaming. The latter is used when tasks require coordination, flexibility (mentally not physically) and self-control. BOTH are active while one engages in art related activities. No wonder when you doodle during those boring lectures, the information is more likely to stick in your brain. You are giving that squishy 8 pound muscle in your skull a complete workout! Meaning quite truthfully that the most ‘ripped’ brains of all are located in the craniums of creative thinkers (and doodlers).

What am I looking at?

When you are making judgements about art or just looking at it, it engages the ‘reward-circuit’ in the brain. This reward system plays a role in processing our feelings in response to objects. Knowing that anyone and everyone has the same ‘reward-circuit’ activated while looking at art means that you don’t have to have some highly educated art snob to tell you how to feel. Art provokes basic emotions…but why in the heck did our brains do this? Does it have any survival value?