title: Using a shoe as a plant pot: neural correlates of passive conceptual expansion.
abstract: Conceptual expansion is a key process that underlies our ability to think creatively. In the present event-related fMRI study, a modified Alternate Uses Task was used to identify brain regions involved during passive conceptual expansion and thereby separately assess the effects of the two defining elements of creative output: Originality (unusualness) and Relevance (appropriateness). Participants viewed word pairs consisting of an object and a use and indicated whether the given use was unusual and/or appropriate for the given object. Trials with object-use combinations judged as unusual and appropriate (HUHA) were contrasted against trials judged as just unusual but inappropriate (HULA) or just appropriate but not unusual (LUHA). As hypothesized, conceptual expansion related activation (HUHA) was found in the bilateral inferior frontal gyrus (BA 45, 47), left temporal pole (BA 38) and left frontopolar cortex (BA 10). We discuss the specific contributions of these regions with reference to semantic cognition.
authors: Department of Clinical Psychology, Justus-Liebig University of Giessen, Germany. Soeren.Kroeger@psychol.uni-giessen.de
authors: Sören
authors: S
authors: Kröger
authors: Barbara
authors: B
authors: Rutter
authors: Rudolf
authors: R
authors: Stark
authors: Sabine
authors: S
authors: Windmann
authors: Christiane
authors: C
authors: Hermann
authors: Anna
authors: A
authors: Abraham
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D003405:Creativity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007092:Imagination / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008606:Mental Processes / Q000502:physiology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests / Q000592:standards; D010775:Photic Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D013850:Thinking / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult