Altered states of consciousness and creativity

Altered states of consciousness (ASC) can affect creative performance, particularly convergent and divergent thinking, by shifting the brain's metacontrol state. A metacontrol framework explains how factors such as drugs, meditation, and hallucinations bias information processing toward either persistence (beneficial for convergent thinking) or flexibility (beneficial for divergent thinking). The review identifies a general trend that ASC-inducing factors alter metacontrol states, with more systematic research needed to clarify these effects.

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Abstract

Abstract Increasing evidence suggests that altered states of consciousness (ASC) are associated with both positive and negative effects on components of creative performance, and convergent and divergent thinking in particular. We provide a metacontrol framework that allows characterizing factors that induce ASC in terms of their general impact on the information processing style of problem solvers. We discuss behavioral and neuronal findings from three areas that reflect strong connections between ASC and the underlying effects on metacontrol on the one hand and components of creativity on the other hand: drug-induced ASC, meditation-induced ASC, and hallucinations. While more, and especially more systematic research is needed, we identify a general trend, suggesting that factors that induce ASC are likely to alter the metacontrol state by biasing it toward either persistence, which is beneficial for convergent thinking and other persistence-heavy operations, or flexibility, which is beneficial for divergent thinking and other flexibility-heavy operations.