Secrets of creativity

You have never been able to come up with something "out of the ordinary?" You do not have patents for inventions, you are not an artist, or creative producer? Well, God bless them! It turns out that the myth about a special "creative mind" - this is just a myth, he says in his article in The Wall Street Journal, John Lehrer, American science journalist. Actually, the article - it rearranged excerpts of the book "Imagine: How does the creativity." "Creativity - not a hereditary trait built into our genes, and not a divine gift, presented to the angels. Creativity - is a skill. Anyone can learn to think creatively and to improve is their ability, "- says the author, based on his words, the latest research scientists.
Some tips: repaint the walls - in 2009, scientists have discovered by experiment: in a room with blue walls guinea solved twice "brainteasers Tricky" than in other settings. "The blue color stimulates associative thinking and has a calming effect," - says Lehrer. But better to solve analytical problems in a red room because red increases alertness and attention ...

"Klyuyte nose" - Here are data from a study published in February: "owls" who were forced to solve puzzles in the early morning, to deal with them is much better than in the more favorable time of the day for yourself.

Do not be afraid to dream with your eyes open - as shown by tests, dreamy people are more creative.

Just think back to my childhood - the subjects, who were asked to imagine themselves seven-year children better cope with tests for divergent thinking - for example, with the task to come up with ways to use the tire.

Laugh out loud - after watching the performances of the comic subjects solve big problems Thinking (20%).

"Let the mind will carry you to distant lands" - Researchers from Indiana found that if the subjects say that the problem was composed in Greece or California, they are coping with it better than if they were told that the job came up right here in the lab.

Choose the right expression - "One way to improve the ability to solve problems - to state their terms in other words. When used with a narrow specific verb meaning, people think narrowly. On the contrary, the use of verbs with the broad values ​​- for example, "move" instead of "to go" - can greatly increase the number of solved problems, "- the article says.

 - Do not operate in rooms-cage homes - Researchers have discovered: the results of a standard test for creativity is much better when the subject sits in an office cubicle is not an area of ​​five square feet, and outside it. "Maybe the thinking subconsciously acted metaphor implicit in phraseologism thinking outside the box (» thinking outside the box & quot ;, literally "thinking outside the box." - Ed.).

Look at the world - scientist Adam Galinsky concluded that students who ever live abroad, more often cope with the classical problem of Thinking.

Move to the metropolis - "Physicists at the Santa Fe Institute have discovered: moving from a small town to town twice encourages inventors to patent an average of 15% more inventions" - the article says.
Lehrer also gives an example of a practical problem that was resolved as if by instinct. In 1974, engineer Arthur Fry acquainted with the new invention Sheldon Silver's - are extremely weak adhesive action. Can you come up with this useful application of glue? All were perplexed.
Fry sang in the church choir and usually put in prayer instead of paper bookmarks. But the paper often fell out, and Fry had hastily flipping book to find the right anthem. Then one day it dawned on me: a piece of paper, a weak smeared with glue, will be reusable bookmark! "As a result of this revelation under the dome of the church has created one of the most popular office stationery - paper sticky notes" - explains the author.

The temporal lobe of the brain - the most creative - Modern scientists also found out what parts of the brain are activated when solving problems to wit: "a few seconds before irradiation dramatically enlivened top previous gyrus of the temporal lobe," the head of the union of small interconnected information.
As mentioned above, researchers have found that some factors increase the frequency of inspirations: "People are more receptive to the answers coming from the above part of the brain." What are these factors?
For example, viewing of humorous commercials or alcohol (according to recent research scientists, University of Illinois). And humor, alcohol and encourage us to relax, and relaxed person is more susceptible to the play of arbitrary associations that suggest answers to difficult tasks. By the way, that is why the brilliant idea occurred to Archimedes in the bathtub, as physicist Richard Feynman doing calculations, sitting in a strip club. "Creativity - a useful sediment from time wasted," - said Einstein.

Look at the problem through the eyes of a beginner - but Lehrer immediately warned: sometimes requires a different type of creativity when success is achieved by blood and sweat, when you need to go through a lot of options until you get to a successful. "All great artists and thinkers - great workers," - wrote Nietzsche.
But how to determine what type of creativity is required from you in this case? What is the best help solve the problem - a mug of beer or a sleepless night at the office? Lehrer sure that the nature of the human mind is able to choose his desired type of creative work.

It is also important to remember that creativity needs raw materials. "It is very valuable to increase the volume and variety of information with which you touch" - suggests the author. He refers to Steve Jobs' creativity - this is only the ability to combine different things. " With that bordered the secret, which is the key to creative thinking - "the ability to look at the problem through the eyes of a beginner, to drop all preconceived ideas, do not be afraid to fail."


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