Resting-State EEG Network Profiles Associated with Creative Engagement and Creative Self-Efficacy

TL;DR

This study links resting-state EEG alpha-band connectivity patterns to individual differences in creativity, self-efficacy, and engagement, revealing distinct neural network configurations associated with creative traits.

Contribution

It identifies specific EEG connectivity patterns associated with creativity and self-efficacy, advancing understanding of neural correlates of creative cognition.

Findings

Two distinct EEG connectivity profiles linked to creativity measures.

Higher self-rated creative ability associated with reduced global connectivity.

Distinct network modularity patterns correlate with creative engagement.

Abstract

Creativity is a core cognitive capacity underlying innovation and adaptive problem solving, yet how it is represented in the brain's intrinsic functional architecture is not fully understood. While resting-state fMRI studies have identified large-scale network correlates associated with differences in creativity, EEG provides the temporal resolution for examining oscillatory dynamics contributing to intrinsic network organization. We examined whether resting-state EEG connectivity patterns are associated with individual differences across multiple creativity-related measures. Thirty healthy young adults completed a multidimensional creativity battery comprising the Inventory of Creative Activities and Achievements (ICAA), the Divergent Association Task (DAT), the Matchstick Arithmetic Puzzles Task (MAPT) and a Self-rating (SR) of creative ability. Graph-theoretical analyses of alpha-band functional connectivity revealed two participant groups, each with distinct patterns of neural activity: Cluster 1 showed reduced global connectivity with relatively preserved left frontal connectivity and greater network modularity; Cluster 0 exhibited stronger overall connectivity strength, reduced modularity and higher local clustering. Notably, Cluster 1 reported higher self-rated creative ability and more frequent engagement in real-world creative activities. These findings suggest that resting-state EEG connectivity patterns are associated with variation in creative self-efficacy and creative engagement, highlighting characteristic patterns of alpha-band network organization observed at rest.