The hemispheric dynamics of semantic processing and creativity

Prior research on the Neuropsychology of creativity often report increased right hemisphere involvement for creative tasks. Much less is known about the process or time-course of semantic processing and creativity. In the current study, visual half-field semantic priming with high, low and unrelated prime-target pairs were employed in a lexical decision paradigm. Four stimulus onset asynchronies (SOA) were used in a within subjects design. Creativity was measured using the Torrance Tests of Creativity. The high creative group showed more right hemisphere priming during the 400 ms SOA. In addition, there was an interaction with task order effect such that the high creatives who were administered the creativity tests showed overall more right hemisphere priming. Results are discussed in the context of the time-course of processing and controlled vs. automatic processes.