Write your message
Volume 23, Issue 144 (2-2025)                   Journal of Psychological Science 2025, 23(144): 45-61 | Back to browse issues page


XML Persian Abstract Print


Download citation:
BibTeX | RIS | EndNote | Medlars | ProCite | Reference Manager | RefWorks
Send citation to:

Shahmoradi S, Zoghi Paydar M R, Farhadi M, Yar Mohammadivasel S. (2025). The study of difference in alpha and theta band in divergent and convergent thinking in the posterior of the right hemisphere. Journal of Psychological Science. 23(144), 45-61. doi:10.61186/jps.23.144.3
URL: http://psychologicalscience.ir/article-1-2428-en.html
Associate Professor. Department of Psychology, Faculty of Economic and Social Science, Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamadan, Iran , m.r.zoghipaidar@basu.ac.ir
Abstract:   (686 Views)
Background: One of the most influential factors in creativity is brain waves. Among brain waves, alpha and theta waves are considered the most effective in fostering creativity in individuals. Alpha wave activity represents the dominant oscillatory activity of the human brain and is associated with fundamental and complex cognitive functions such as divergent thinking. Previous research has often conceptualized creativity as a cohesive concept that can be assessed using questionnaires, which may not seem sufficient for the underlying mechanism.
Aims: The aim of the present study was to investigate the differences in the patterns of alpha and theta brain waves in the posterior regions of the right hemisphere during divergent and convergent thinking.
Methods: The current study employed a semi-experimental pre-test-post-test design with a two-month follow-up period. The research population consisted of all graduate students aged 20 to 46 years in psychology and cognitive sciences at Payam Noor University and the Cognitive Sciences Research Institute in 2023. The sample included 32 participants (16 men and 16 women) selected using purposive sampling and randomly assigned to experimental conditions (divergent and convergent). The research instruments included the Chapman Superiority Scale (Chapman, 1987), a 64-channel Ant EEG system, tasks for divergent thinking (snake counting, alternate uses), and tasks for convergent thinking (number counting, Tower of London).
Results: The repeated measures analysis of variance showed significant differences between the two study conditions (divergent and convergent) in the posterior region. The difference between divergent and convergent conditions was statistically significant in favor of divergent thinking for both alpha (P< 0.05) and theta (P< 0.01) bands.
Conclusion: The findings of the present study can provide a basis for further investigations into brainwave neurofeedback and other quantitative electroencephalogram (QEEG) components, such as absolute power, coherence in other frequency bands, in relation to divergent and convergent thinking differences.
Full-Text [PDF 1220 kb]   (324 Downloads)    
Type of Study: Research | Subject: Special
Received: 2024/04/27 | Accepted: 2024/06/30 | Published: 2025/02/19

References
1. Abraham, A., Pieritz, K., Thybusch, K., Rutter, B., Kröger, S., Schweckendiek, J., Stark, R., Windmann, S., & Hermann, C. (2012). Creativity and the brain: uncovering the neural signature of conceptual expansion. Neuropsychologia, 50(8), 1906-1917. [DOI:10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2012.04.015] [PMID]
2. Agnoli, S., Zanon, M., Mastria, S., Avenanti, A., & Corazza, G. E. (2020). Predicting response originality through brain activity: An analysis of changes in EEG alpha power during the generation of alternative ideas. NeuroImage, 207, 116385. [DOI:10.1016/j.neuroimage.2019.116385] [PMID]
3. Angelakis, E., Stathopoulou, S., Frymiare, J. L., Green, D. L., Lubar, J. F., & Kounios, J. (2007). EEG neurofeedback: a brief overview and an example of peak alpha frequency training for cognitive enhancement in the elderly. The Clinical neuropsychologist, 21(1), 110-129. [DOI:10.1080/13854040600744839] [PMID]
4. Azar, E. (2017). Investigating the synchronization of alpha waves in convergent and divergent thinking. Master's thesis, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad. (In Persian)
5. Basadur, M., Runco, M. A., & Vega, L. A. (2000). Understanding how creative thinking skills, attitudes and behaviors work together: A causal process model. The Journal of Creative Behavior, 34(2), 77-100. [DOI:10.1002/j.2162-6057.2000.tb01203.x]
6. Benedek, M., Bergner, S., Könen, T., Fink, A., & Neubauer, A. C. (2011). EEG alpha synchronization is related to top-down processing in convergent and divergent thinking. Neuropsychologia, 49(12), 3505-3511. [DOI:10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2011.09.004] [PMID] []
7. Benedek, M., Jauk, E., Fink, A., Koschutnig, K., Reishofer, G., Ebner, F., & Neubauer, A. C. (2014). To create or to recall? Neural mechanisms underlying the generation of creative new ideas. NeuroImage, 88(100), 125-133. [DOI:10.1016/j.neuroimage.2013.11.021] [PMID] []
8. Birami, M., Nazari, M. A., & Andalib Koorayim, M. (2011). Examining the level of coherence of theta band brainwave patterns in convergent and divergent thinking. Advances in Cognitive Sciences, 13(2), 1-8. (In Persian). https://sid.ir/paper/82909/en
9. Carroll, J. B. (1968). Reviews: Guilford, J. P. The Nature of Human Intelligence. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1967. 538 + xii pp. $14.75. American Educational Research Journal, 5(2), 249-256. [DOI:10.3102/00028312005002249]
10. Chapman, L. J., & Chapman, J. P. (1987). The measurement of handedness. Brain and cognition, 6(2), 175-183. [DOI:10.1016/0278-2626(87)90118-7] [PMID]
11. Chermahini, S. A., & Hommel, B. (2010). The (b)link between creativity and dopamine: spontaneous eye blink rates predict and dissociate divergent and convergent thinking. Cognition, 115(3), 458-465. [DOI:10.1016/j.cognition.2010.03.007] [PMID]
12. Cropley, A. (2006) In Praise of Convergent Thinking. Creativity Research Journal, 18, 391-404. [DOI:10.1207/s15326934crj1803_13]
13. http://dx.doi.org/10.1207/s15326934crj1803_13 [DOI:10.1207/s15326934crj1803_13]
14. Ershadi Manesh, S. (2021). A controlled comparison of the efficacy of creative problem solving therapy and cognitive behavioural therapy in adolescent' depression. Journal of Psychological Science. 20(100), 485-501. (In Persian). http://dorl.net/dor/20.1001.1.17357462.1400.20.100.14.7
15. Fink, A., Grabner, R. H., Benedek, M., & Neubauer, A. C. (2006). Divergent thinking training is related to frontal electroencephalogram alpha synchronization. The European journal of neuroscience, 23(8), 2241-2246. [DOI:10.1111/j.1460-9568.2006.04751.x] [PMID]
16. Fink, A., Schwab, D., & Papousek, I. (2011). Sensitivity of EEG upper alpha activity to cognitive and affective creativity interventions. International Journal of Psychophysiology, 82(3), 233-239. [DOI:10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2011.09.003] [PMID]
17. Guilford, J. P. (1950). Creativity. American Psychologist, 5(9), 444-454. [DOI:10.1037/h0063487] [PMID]
18. Hommel, B., Colzato, L. S., Fischer, R., & Christoffels, I. K. (2011). Bilingualism and creativity: Benefits in convergent thinking come with losses in divergent thinking. Frontiers in Psychology, 2, Article 273. [DOI:10.3389/fpsyg.2011.00273]
19. Isen, A. M., Daubman, K. A., & Nowicki, G. P. (1987). Positive affect facilitates creative problem solving. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 52(6), 1122-1131. [DOI:10.1037/0022-3514.52.6.1122] [PMID]
20. Japardi, K., Bookheimer, S., Knudsen, K., Ghahremani, D. G., & Bilder, R. M. (2018). Functional magnetic resonance imaging of divergent and convergent thinking in Big-C creativity. Neuropsychologia, 118(Pt A), 59-67. [DOI:10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2018.02.017] [PMID]
21. Jauk, E., Benedek, M., & Neubauer, A. C. (2012). Tackling creativity at its roots: evidence for different patterns of EEG α activity related to convergent and divergent modes of task processing. International journal of psychophysiology: official journal of the International Organization of Psychophysiology, 84(2), 219-225. [DOI:10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2012.02.012] [PMID] []
22. Javaid, S. F., & Pandarakalam, J. P. (2021). The Association of Creativity with Divergent and Convergent Thinking. Psychiatria Danubina, 33(2), 133-139. [DOI:10.24869/psyd.2021.133] [PMID]
23. Jia, W., & Zeng, Y. (2021). EEG signals respond differently to idea generation, idea evolution and evaluation in a loosely controlled creativity experiment. Scientific reports, 11(1), 2119. [DOI:10.1038/s41598-021-81655-0] [PMID] []
24. Jiang, L., Yang, C., Pi, Z., Li, Y., Liu, S., & Yi, X. (2023). Individuals with High Metacognitive Ability Are Better at Divergent and Convergent Thinking. Journal of Intelligence, 11(8), 162. [DOI:10.3390/jintelligence11080162] [PMID] []
25. Kinoshita, Y., Yamasaki, F., Tominaga, A., Usui, S., Arita, K., Sakoguchi, T., Sugiyama, K., & Kurisu, K. (2017). Transsphenoidal Posterior Pituitary Lobe Biopsy in Patients with Neurohypophysial Lesions. World neurosurgery, 99, 543-547. [DOI:10.1016/j.wneu.2016.12.080] [PMID]
26. Liu, C., Lin, Y., Ye, C., Yang, J., & He, W. (2023). Alpha ERS-ERD Pattern during Divergent and Convergent Thinking Depends on Individual Differences on Metacontrol. Journal of Intelligence, 11(4), 74. [DOI:10.3390/jintelligence11040074] [PMID] []
27. Lochy, A., de Heering, A., & Rossion, B. (2019). The non-linear development of the right hemispheric specialization for human face perception. Neuropsychologia, 126, 10-19. [DOI:10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2017.06.029] [PMID]
28. Matsumoto, K., Chen, C., Hagiwara, K., Shimizu, N., Hirotsu, M., Oda, Y., Lei, H., Takao, A., Fujii, Y., Higuchi, F., & Nakagawa, S. (2022). The Effect of Brief Stair-Climbing on Divergent and Convergent Thinking. Frontiers in behavioral neuroscience, 15, 834097. [DOI:10.3389/fnbeh.2021.834097] [PMID] []
29. Mazza, A., Dal Monte, O., Schintu, S., Colombo, S., Michielli, N., Sarasso, P., Törlind, P., Cantamessa, M., Montagna, F., & Ricci, R. (2023). Beyond alpha-band: The neural correlate of creative thinking. Neuropsychologia, 179, 108446. [DOI:10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2022.108446] [PMID]
30. Moshkani Farahani, D., Shahi, H., Rezaiemaram, P., Alvandi Sarabi, M. (2015). Psychological predictors of coping styles with stress in adolescents. Journal of Psychological Science. 14(53), 91-109. (In Persian). http://dorl.net/dor/20.1001.1.17357462.1394.14.53.6.3
31. Pick, H., & Lavidor, M. (2019). Modulation of automatic and creative features of the Remote Associates Test by angular gyrus stimulation. Neuropsychologia, 129, 348-356. [DOI:10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2019.04.010] [PMID]
32. Razoumnikova O. M. (2000). Functional organization of different brain areas during convergent and divergent thinking: an EEG investigation. Brain research. Cognitive brain research, 10(1-2), 11-18. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0926-6410(00)00017-3 [DOI:10.1016/s0926-6410(00)00017-3] [PMID]
33. Soroa, G., Aritzeta, A., Muela, A., Balluerka, N., Gorostiaga, A., & Aliri, J. (2020). The Emotional Divergent-Convergent Thinking Program (EDICOP): Design, Implementation, and Results. European journal of investigation in health, psychology and education, 10(4), 1051-1064. [DOI:10.3390/ejihpe10040074] [PMID] []
34. Tan, B., Liao, Q., Xu, P., Zhang, J., Jin, Z., & Li, L. (2023). Selective Enhancement of Frontal-Posterior Functional Connectivity by Anodal tDCS Over the Right Posterior Parietal Cortex During Temporal Attention. IEEE journal of biomedical and health informatics, 27(7), 3666-3676. [DOI:10.1109/JBHI.2023.3267063] [PMID]
35. Zhang, H., Shi, Y., Yao, C., Tang, W., Yao, D., Zhang, C., Wang, M., Wu, J., & Song, Z. (2016). Alteration of the Intra- and Cross- Hemisphere Posterior Default Mode Network in Frontal Lobe Glioma Patients. Scientific reports, 6, 26972. [DOI:10.1038/srep26972] [PMID] []
36. Zhang, W., Sjoerds, Z., & Hommel, B. (2020). Metacontrol of human creativity: The neurocognitive mechanisms of convergent and divergent thinking. NeuroImage, 210, 116572. [DOI:10.1016/j.neuroimage.2020.116572] [PMID]
37. Zhao, Y., Yuan, Y., Shen, W., Zhu, C., & Liu, D. (2019). The relationships between bilingual learning, willingness to study abroad and convergent creativity. PeerJ, 7, e7776. [DOI:10.7717/peerj.7776] [PMID] []
38. Zheng, Y., Denervaud, S., & Durrleman, S. (2023). Bilingualism and creativity across development: Evidence from divergent thinking and convergent thinking. Frontiers in human neuroscience, 16, 1058803. [DOI:10.3389/fnhum.2022.1058803] [PMID] []
39. Zmigrod, S., Colzato, L. S., & Hommel, B. (2015). Stimulating creativity: modulation of convergent and divergent thinking by transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). Creativity Research Journal. 27(4), 353-360. https://doi.org/10.1080/10400419.2015.1087280 [DOI:10.1080/10400419.2015.1087280.]
40. Zuanazzi, A., & Cattaneo, L. (2017). The right hemisphere is independent from the left hemisphere in allocating visuospatial attention. Neuropsychologia, 102, 197-205. [DOI:10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2017.06.005] [PMID]

Add your comments about this article : Your username or Email:
CAPTCHA

Send email to the article author


Rights and permissions
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0) License.

© 2025 CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 | Journal of Psychological Science

Designed & Developed by : Yektaweb

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)