For years, the common belief has been that creativity originates from the right side of the brain, suggesting that people are either “right-brained” (creative) or “left-brained” (analytical). However, this concept is being challenged by modern fMRI-based neuroscience. A neuroimaging study conducted by Harvard Medical School’s Mass General Brigham, published in JAMA Network Open, demonstrates that creativity is not confined to one part of the brain but emerges from a network spanning multiple regions. This discovery significantly impacts views on creative thought and has implications for education, arts programs, and potentially artificial intelligence. The popularized left-brain/right-brain theory originated from early studies of brain injuries in the 1960s and ’70s, which associated damage to the left hemisphere with analytical difficulties and damage to the right with impaired spatial abilities and artistic expression. However, neuroscience has shown that creativity arises when the entire brain operates in harmony, combining elements like intuition, memory, problem-solving, emotions, and abstract thinking. The study analyzed neuroimages from 857 participants across 36 studies, revealing that creativity originates from a whole-brain circuit, rather than just the right side. Intriguingly, it was noted that brain injuries can sometimes enhance
“Unlocking Creativity: Not a Right-Brained Trait, but a Whole-Brain Network
