The Origins of Creativity

The ability to create something new has granted humanity immense opportunities to thrive on Earth. Gone are the days when humans had to rely solely on hunting and gathering to survive and protect themselves from predators. Through creativity, we have journeyed from the invention of the spear to the development of quantum computers. We have reshaped the Earth, transforming it into a habitat tailored to our needs. We create artistic masterpieces that inspire us to explore new horizons. But what exactly lies behind the human capacity for creation?

Biological premises of creativity

Evolutionary geneticist Svante Pääbo once said:

Apparently, these bases are associated with the inclusion of non-coding sequences in the human genome that regulate the expression of other genes. These sequences, which are long non-coding RNAs and pseudogenes, are functional in phylogenetically recent brain regions associated with self-awareness and self-control. They are absent in chimpanzees, and Neanderthals have three times less of them. There are 972 genes that explain the inherited variability of human personality traits in one way or another, in particular, emotional reactivity, self-control, and self-awareness, and 267 are unique to our species. Comparing the Neanderthal prototype with the human prototype, it was found that the relative well-being of Neanderthals was 61–70% of that of modern humans inheriting genes that provide self-awareness and determine creativity, prosocial behavior, and longevity.

Due to the incompleteness of archaeological records, it was unclear whether the creative abilities, inherent to modern humans, originated immediately or whether they developed individually and successively. Recent research indicates that three almost independent genotypic networks of emotional reactivity, self-control, and self-awareness developed successively.

According to the variability selection hypothesis proposed by Rick Potts of the Smithsonian Institution’s Human Origins Program, humans have learned to adapt to constantly changing environmental conditions. In the last 6 million years, the climate on Earth has become increasingly variable, and those organisms having the characteristics that allowed them to survive in completely different conditions—in drought or in the rainy season, in savannas or forests—remained. The climate fluctuations in the last 800,000 years were particularly strong compared to past periods, and this coincides with the increase in the brain size of human ancestors. There was an expansion of the diet due to the invention of tools, which over time became more and more specialized for different types of hunting, food processing and protection.

About 40 million years ago, when tropical forests receded, the evolutionary advantage was in those primates that were capable of social cooperation and regulation of their emotions depending on the social context. All this acted as a defense against predators in the transition from a nocturnal lifestyle in the forests to a daytime lifestyle in the savannas. With the emergence of the mirror neuron system, the possibility of social training (upbringing) arose. Later, about 2 million years ago, a new species appears—Homo ergaster (literally, working man), which could make tools deliberately carved from stone presented as symmetrical bifacial hand-axes. Later hominids did not change this pattern until 400,000 years ago, indicating that the early ancestors of humans had the capacity for self-control, but the ability for self-awareness and creative thinking had not yet been developed.

About 200,000 years ago, Homo neanderthalensis appeared in Europe, which was adapted to life in open habitats. Neanderthals already built shelters and kept fire in the hearths, they presumably had empathy towards other members of their group of 12–15 individuals. Neanderthals buried their dead, but without artifacts characteristic of later Cro-Magnon burials. What can be considered symbolic art was rare for Neanderthals, and all these expressions were two-dimensional, comparable to the paintings of children under 7 years old. Thus, we can assume that this type of human species represents an intermediate stage in the development of self-awareness and creativity.

After 40,000 years ago, Neanderthals are being superseded by the more progressive species Homo sapiens, which is characterized by a higher level of technological and cultural development. It is this species that have the genotypic network of self-awareness working in its entirety, promoting creative thinking, better sociality, and longevity. Autobiographical memory appears, mediating the awareness of self as a continuous identity in space and time. Complex forms of art arise, which also become a reflection of the inner world.

As cognitive abilities, social communication, and eventually culture evolved, humans were able to inhabit an increasingly wide range of climatic conditions, becoming resilient to environmental uncertainty. This very factor played a decisive role in the development of creativity. In their struggle against an unpredictable environment, humans realized they could control the growth and breeding of plants and animals—a turning point in human history 12,000 years ago. Humans ceased to be passive subjects of a volatile world and began to adapt the environment to their own needs.

Avoiding uncertainty

Uncertainty is the scariest thing for the brain, which it effectively avoids by constructing various forecasts and schemes, and forming beliefs. If we found that outcomes of events will be completely different from our expectations, we are experiencing severe stress, which can lead to memory impairments, atherosclerosis, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases. It is vital for us to establish how objects of the external world interact with each other and with us, and build a definite model of the environment, in which we could navigate without risking our lives. On the one hand, this determined model is the key to safety, on the other hand, it sets the limits for our perception and presents the cause of many cognitive biases. For example, it's hard to give up some wrong theory, which we strongly believe in, because destroying our own beliefs means exposing ourselves to complete uncertainty. However, we should account for the ever-changing world, and if we don’t change with it by adjusting our beliefs, we are destined to stay in darkness and ignorance, which will subsequently lead to extinction. Therefore, in a dynamic environment, deviating thought can be quite beneficial for survival.

Hence, by expanding the range of our beliefs and building a more universal model of the world with the help of creative thinking, we can get rid of the environmental uncertainty and reduce the stress load on the body.

What is our life? A game!

However, if updating our internal model of the world is linked to stress—which is best avoided whenever possible—how can we expand our beliefs without risking our well-being? Where do we find the intrinsic motivation to overcome fear and venture into that 'brave new world' lying beyond our existing convictions? The key is to create a situation where uncertainty is perceived as rewarding—an ingredient that stimulates curiosity and engagement. This is precisely what occurs in play. According to neurobiologist Beau Lotto, the uniqueness of play lies in the fact that it is an activity motivated by its own content. In play, the outcome is less important than the process; we play for the sake of the game itself, where the process is the reward. Pair this with a curious intent—by simply asking 'why?'—and you can unlock non-standard solutions to your problems.

It is known that young children learn spatial, social, motor and other skills in the game. Play for children is the main way of existence: if there is no element of entertainment in any activity, the child quickly becomes bored. As we grow up, of course, we play less: the opinion of others is gaining more weight—we are afraid to look stupid, immature, irresponsible. However, it is this embarrassment that often prevents us from being creative. If we overcome our shyness and embarrassment, for example, by telling friends about the incidents of our lives, we can increase our creative abilities.

Leigh Thompson from the Northwestern University in the United States and colleagues conducted an experiment in which subjects talked about their unpleasant incidents, and then performed a creative task to list as many unusual uses of a paper clip or cardboard box as possible. It was shown that such subjects generated 28% more ideas and their variability was 20% greater than those who talked about their triumphal moments or simply described their way to work.

Once we loosen the grip of social fears, we become ready to think creatively. A meta-analysis of scientific literature exploring the impact of various stressors on creativity reveals that the higher the perceived probability of judgment, the more difficult it becomes for an individual to manifest their creative abilities. Beyond the fear of judgment, the lack of control over a situation also exerts a significant influence on creativity—leaving us in a state of complete uncertainty that feels impossible to resolve. Interestingly, the same brain systems involved in the response to stress are the very ones that facilitate creative thinking.

Neurobiology of creative thinking

Roger Beaty and his colleagues from Pennsylvania State University, analyzing fMRI data from subjects performing a task on the unusual uses of objects, demonstrated a coordinated interaction between three brain networks whose functions are typically viewed as opposing: the default mode network (DMN), the executive control network (ECN), and the salience network. Creative ability is linked to divergent thinking—essential for generating new ideas—which is facilitated by the default mode network. The activity of this network is associated with states of idling and introspection. Once ideas are generated, they are filtered and selected by the executive control network, whose function is tied to the precise execution of the task at hand. The switching between these two networks is mediated by the salience network. Generally, individuals with stronger functional connectivity between these three networks tended to produce more original ideas.

A critical structure involved in creative thinking is the hippocampus, whose function is primarily linked to memory. It is active not only when we recall events from our lives, but also when we envision future occurrences. According to the Constructive Episodic Simulation Hypothesis, when we remember something, we do not simply press a 'play' button on a video player; instead, we reconstruct past events by assembling various details—people, places, objects—and essentially composing the narrative anew each time. This process may explain why a single witness's testimony in court can be inconsistent; given the brain's plastic reorganizations, each subsequent hearing results in a slightly different version of the same event. In this same manner, we construct our future and generate new ideas by utilizing the information stored within our memory.

Consequently, the hippocampus participates in the processes of memory, imagination, and creative thinking. This was established in a study where subjects were shown various object-based words (such as 'cup') and were asked to either recall a past event associated with the object, imagine a future interaction with it, or conceive of an unusual use for it. In all three instances, heightened hippocampal activity was observed. Thus, the very region of the brain that enables our ability to remember also provides the capacity to create something entirely new.

How to improve your creativity

The work of Roger Beaty suggests that the human brain is creative by default. For the sake of survival, we create and update a model of the environment we interact with every single day. We plan for the future and envision events based on our experiences with the world. Ultimately, we produce new ideas that change the world itself. Creative thinking is what allows us to 'venture forth' into the unknown and remain at the vanguard of human progress. But how, then, can we enhance our own creative abilities?

Here are several recommendations that synthesize the insights discussed above:

• Addressing Social Fears
  Many successful creatives are distinguished by a lack of fear regarding public scrutiny; they grant themselves the permission to think differently. Accordingly, processing social anxieties and mastering stress management will positively impact one's creative capacity. This is typically the first point of intervention: allowing oneself to be spontaneous, loosening the grip of the internal censor, and opening the door to creative ideas that have long awaited their embodiment.
• Cultivating Memory
  Research from Stanford and Harvard has demonstrated that targeted training of episodic memory—where subjects are asked to recall events with maximum detail—increases both the volume and diversity of creative ideas. Consequently, the more refined our ability to remember, the more extensive the arsenal we can draw upon during the generation of creative concepts.
• Cross-Pollination
  Engage in intellectual cross-pollination. By exploring disciplines far removed from your own—whether it be astrophysics for a poet or architecture for a musician—you broaden the cognitive library available for synthesis, enabling the creation of truly original metaphors and solutions.
• Constraints as Catalysts
  Utilize the paradox of constraint. While total freedom seems ideal, artificial limitations often act as catalysts for creativity. By imposing strict boundaries on a task, you compel the mind to abandon habitual pathways and forge more inventive, unconventional routes to a solution.
• Nurturing Intrinsic Motivation
  The optimal state for sustaining intrinsic motivation is that of play, where pleasure is derived from the process rather than the final result. One should encourage a sense of curiosity and a desire to experiment, daring to combine elements that previously seemed incompatible.
• Relaxation and Meditation
  Wish to conceive something truly new? Release the tension. In a state of relaxation, the default mode network—responsible for generating new ideas—becomes active. Practices that facilitate the defocusing of attention train divergent thinking. One such method is the practice of contemplation, where we enter a state open to any thought or sensation, accepting them without judgment.
• Physical Activity
  Has your inspiration vanished? Go for a walk. The American philosopher Henry David Thoreau noted in his journals: "Methinks that the moment my legs begin to move, my thoughts begin to flow, as if I had given vent to the stream at the lower end and consequently new fountains flowed into it at the upper. A thousand rills which have their rise in the sources of thought burst forth andfertilize my brain." Research consistently shows that creativity tasks are best performed during walks in the fresh air. Furthermore, those who maintain regular physical exercise tend to perform better in creativity tests than those with a more sedentary lifestyle.

By cultivating our creativity, we enhance not only the quality of our lives but also our capacity to adapt to new and shifting realities. To be creative is to secure an evolutionary advantage; it is the power to manifest new ideas that can resolve the formidable challenges currently facing humanity.