International Creativity Month

In honor of International Creativity Month, celebrated each January, Dr. Tal Ivancovsky, a psychologist at Bar-Ilan University’s Gonda (Goldschmied) Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, discusses cross-cultural differences in creative thinking.

Many of us have experienced creative bursts at work, in the kitchen, on the road, or in the shower. The “aha!” or “eureka” moment, when an idea suddenly bounces from the unconscious to the conscious, defies logic. Researchers have maintained that although creativity requires hard work and training, it also has an unconscious component. From Archimedes’ bath to Newton’s apple to Van Gogh’s ear, creativity has always included a mythical element that is beyond our grasp.

Cross-cultural psychology or differences provide an interesting angle for exploring creative ability. In Western society – characterized by individualism, a desire to stand out/uniqueness, and risk-taking – creativity is expressed in originality. In contrast, in East Asian cultures – characterized by collectivism, traditionalism, maintaining social harmony, and conformism – creativity is expressed in useful ideas based on existing techniques which reinforce harmony. In these cultures, the creative person will devote his energies to improving existing solutions but not to innovating. A good example is the automotive industry. While Asians did not invent the wheel, they did significantly improve its use.

The way of thinking is also a result of cross-cultural differences. In Eastern cultures, thinking is intuitive with a striving to attain inner peace and enjoyment from the existing situation – therefore, there is no need for innovation nor for expanding knowledge during the creative process. On the other hand, in Western cultures, the thinking style is logical, with emphasis on renewing existing knowledge. Therefore, a “creative” solution in Eastern cultures is expressed in repetition, exactitude and elaboration, and not necessarily in originality as it is perceived in the West.

These differences are so profound that they may even be identified in the brain. Specifically, differences were observed in the IFG (inferior frontal gyrus) region, which is located in the prefrontal lobe, and is responsible for cognitive control, and in our context, in evaluation of ideas. For example, in an experiment that tested creative thinking, Japanese and Korean subjects judged more ideas as being deviant and generated fewer original ideas. These differences were followed by stronger activity in the IFG region of the Asians, as compared to Israeli subjects.

More and more studies confirm the assumption that creativity is not an innate talent, but an ability that can be improved by training, practice and optimal conditions. For those wishing to improve their creative thinking, here are some tips: Go for a walk or meditate, travel the world, expose yourself to new cultures, and keep your mind open. Don’t wait for the muse and don’t be afraid to err.