PSYCHOPHYSIOLOGY OF CREATIVITY

The main characteristic of creativity is generation of new combinations of images and ideas from elements stored in longterm memory. The problem arises concerning extraction of new elements from the contents of memory. There is suggested a model of identification of new combinations of subjective phenomena. According to the model this is achieved by the same mechanism that is used for novelty detection of external events. The detectors of novel external events are hippocampal. neurons. It is assumed that these neurons represent the mechanism that emphasizes new combination. The novelty detectors of hippocampus are also responsible for orienting response, evoked by novel stimuli. From this standpoint the novelty detecting mechanism activated by occurrence of new combinations of past experience under constant surrounding is triggering spontaneous orienting responses. The generation of such new combinations is achieved during goal-directed search point. This goal-directed internal search analogous with external targeting behaviour is accomplished by a mechanism of a dominant focus. The interaction of dominant focus and novelty detecting mechanisms constitutes psychophysiological basis of creativity.