title: Hemispheric alpha asymmetry and self-rated originality of ideas.
abstract: The generation of highly original ideas in divergent thinking tasks has been found to be associated with task-related changes in the alpha band. The goal of the current study was to determine if exposure to brainwave entrainment (BWE) at the alpha centre frequency before and during performance of a divergent thinking task would result in increases in task-related, event-related synchrony and the production of more highly original ideas. We found that alpha entrainment interfered with the oscillatory dynamics associated with divergent thinking such that only the control group showed greater right hemispheric engagement. Furthermore, the control group showed greater self-rated originality. These findings provide confirmation of the importance of hemispheric asymmetry in alpha power to successful divergent thinking and indicate that refinements are required in order for BWE to be used effectively to improve divergent thinking performance.
authors.affiliation: a Center for Advanced Study of Language, University of Maryland , College Park , MD , USA.
authors.forename: Polly
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: O'Rourke
authors.forename: Henk J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Haarmann
authors.forename: Tim
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: George
authors.forename: Alexei
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Smaliy
authors.forename: Kristin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Grunewald
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dien
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000513:Alpha Rhythm / Q000502:physiology*; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D003405:Creativity; D004569:Electroencephalography; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007600:Judgment / Q000502:physiology; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D057566:Self Report; D013850:Thinking / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Alpha; Brainwave entrainment; Divergent thinking; Hemispheric asymmetry