a brain that felt like pancake batter
Monday, December 10, 2007
Your daily dose of cognitive science:
"Most people are able to shut out the constant stream of incoming stimuli, but those with low latent inhibition cannot. It is hypothesized that a low level of latent inhibition, or LLI, can cause either psychosis or a high level of creativity,[1] which is usually dependent on the subject's intelligence.[2][3] Those of above average intelligence are thought to be capable of processing this stream effectively, an ability that greatly aids their creativity and ability to learn and which categorizes them as almost creative geniuses. Those with less than average intelligence, on the other hand, are less able to cope, and so as a result are more likely to suffer from mental illness..."
"Eminent creative achievers (participants under 21 years who reported unusually high scores in a single domain of creative achievement) were 7 times more likely to have low rather than high latent inhibition scores."
~ wikipedia, referencing this paper.
The wikipedia article goes on to say that latent inhibition can be lowered by upping the dopamine uptake in the brain. Is this implying that if you take a smart person and supply them with some choice dopamine-enhancing pharmaceuticals, you get creative genius? put that in your pipe and smoke it, eh?
Art60 final project (poster design), AKA what I did all weekend, apart from GOING TO SEE ANDREW BIRD OH MY HECK HE WAS SPLENDID:
Posted bySHELLY! at 2:34 PM
Labels: cocaine, cognitive science, poster
Conclusive proof that happiness is bad for art.