The Neuroscience of Intelligence

If you want to strengthen intelligence, it makes good sense to first try and define what we mean by intelligence. How do you measure it and what precisely is it?

As it happens, the official answer at this moment is 'no one knows'. Intelligence is a highly abstract concept and effectively might not even be a useful term whatsoever.

Gardner's Theory of Multiple Intelligences

Among the most useful measures of intelligence is IQ or Intelligence Quotient, which assesses our ability to use abstract reasoning and other forms of 'fluid intelligence' (fluid intelligence being distinct and dynamic from 'crystalized intelligence'-- which totals up to knowledge). IQ scores are allocated on the basis of national averages.

The problem with IQ is that it provides a single umbrella for 'intelligence' and doesn't consider the existence of multiple forms of intelligence. What if you're amazing at math or otherwise so good at English? What if you're fantastic with music but lack social skills?

We understand that language and math are handled by different brain regions (language is handled by Broca's Area, among other structures) therefore it's perfectly reasonable to image some may be more developed than others. This is often the case: Einstein was notoriously dyslexic.

This is where psychologist Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences come in.

He suggested the following 'aspects' of intelligence:

- Linguistic Intelligence.

- Logic Intelligence.

- Kinesthetic Intelligence.

- Spatial Intelligence.

- Musical Intelligence.

- Interpersonal Intelligence.

- Intrapersonal Intelligence.

Someone may be 'intelligent' in any one of these areas but less so in another and would still be considered intelligent. We call this the 'modular' view of intelligence.

Why do we have musical intelligence and not 'computer game' intelligence? It ignores possible connections between the different forms of intelligence and it ignores the underlying cognitive functions that might give rise to specific measurable abilities.

It's a step in the right direction, but not a comprehensive explanation of intelligence.

Whole Brain Connectivity and Plasticity

It would be fairly logical to assume that someone who we would generally consider for being intelligent might perform better than average in multiple of these categories.

Genius-- which is considered to describe a form of additional 'insight' and to be distinct from pure mastery-- likely comes from the ability to apply multiple perspectives and multiple schools of thought to a single problem.

More recent research shows that intelligence is predicted by 'whole brain connectivity'-- the ability of the brain to utilize considerable amounts of different brain areas at once in a cohesive manner. It even appears that connectivity between prefrontal regions may provide a basis for consciousness.

To be truly intelligent, you need to have better-than-average performance in multiple mental faculties and have better-than-average connectivity between those corresponding brain regions.

Ways to Become More Intelligent

How does this come about? Simple: through brain plasticity.

Brain plasticity describes the ability of our brain to grow, change and adapt shape? Greater plasticity means greater potential to learn. Greater potential to develop specific brain regions and the connectivity between them.

If you have greater plasticity during your development as a child and you are then given the opportunity to learn by being exposed to the right stimuli, then you will develop more areas of your brain and more connectivity between them.

Intelligence = Adaptability + Opportunity

It's likely that genetic factors might influence greater plasticity in certain individuals, but better sleep, greater happiness, exercise, more focus and interest and certainly better nutrition will all contribute too. That's how you make a super-smart child but if you're already an adult and you feel you could have done better, then you have to scrutinize ways to increase your plasticity again and start learning!

Recapping IQ

The problem with IQ is that it provides a single umbrella for 'intelligence' and doesn't allow for the existence of multiple forms of intelligence. Remember to think why do we have musical intelligence and not 'computer game' intelligence, yet? It ignores possible connections between the different forms of intelligence and it ignores the underlying cognitive functions that might give rise to specific measurable abilities.

https://ezinearticles.com/?The-Neuroscience-of-Intelligence&id=9837871

Understanding Creativity - With Neuroscience

Neuroscience is shedding light on many areas of human behaviour - including the creative process. So is it the case that you are either a creative person, or you are not? Can our developing understanding of the creative process help us become more creative? How does it work?

Behind almost everything we do and say is a creative thought. From the car we drive to work to the sandwich we eat for lunch and the movie we watch in the evening - it all started with an idea.

And in the workplace, solving problems often requires creative thinking. We therefore owe it to ourselves to understand creativity better.

The creative brain

The creative process is not centred on a specific area of the brain; rather, creative thoughts are a result of neural activity in several different cerebral regions.

There are generally considered to be two stages to the creative process:

1. Experimentation and the creation of new concepts or works
2. Rehearsing, editing and assessing the final product

To further understand this, we need to consider several of the brain's networks thought to play a part in the creative process.

The 'executive attention' network

Some creative tasks involve intense concentration; this calls for the 'executive attention' network to be exercised.

This controls attention and working memory, and is often more active in the rehearsing, editing and assessing stage rather than the initial experimentation stage. It adds extra focus to the final touches.

The 'default' network

Allowing freedom of the mind to be distracted and to 'wander' is another important part of creativity, where the 'executive attention' network is less influential.

Here the 'default' or 'imagination' network might take over, where daydreaming and removal of focus on the outside world becomes key. This helps in self-reflection and recalling past events, helping us build new pictures based on previous experiences.

The 'salience' network

The 'salience' network helps the brain decide which sensory inputs to pay attention to and which to ignore.

It is thought to help us 'switch' between relevant networks of neurons, turning the most appropriate groups on or off, depending on the situation: we might need the 'executive attention' network or a freer flow of creative thoughts based on emotions and sensory inputs, depending on the task at hand.

Clearly, composing a piece of music or drawing a picture requires different creative skills to solving a complex problem in the accounting department at work.

It is therefore not surprising that we use different parts of the brain to help us achieve them, though each could be said to require a 'creative' response.

Some creative tasks require a high degree of 'latent inhibition' - the ability to filter out the surrounding world - for example when writing an important report; others thrive on the distraction that seemingly 'irrelevant' inputs provide. Similarly, some tasks require extensive self-monitoring and control of actions, while others (like performing a jazz improvisation) will actively suppress it.

Clearly, the creative process is complex and neuroscience has just started to shed light on it. There is a long way to go, but it is sure to be an interesting journey.

https://ezinearticles.com/?Understanding-Creativity---With-Neuroscience&id=9351147