Divergent Thinking in the Engineering Design Context: Experimentation to Connect Performance to Neurocognitive Responses

University Of Oklahoma Norman Campus, Norman OK

Investigators

Abstract

Divergent thinking, which is related to ideation, continues to be a not fully understood and yet a very important part of the design process. Using cognitive neuroscience experiments to study divergent thinking for various idea generation methods and design tasks, and studying the effectiveness by comprehensive evaluation design outcomes, we can better understand the idea generation process. Cognitive neuroscience uses different techniques to study the brain in action, and each technique has specific characteristics that make a technique optimal for a given research question. Hemodynamic neuroimaging techniques such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) or positron emission tomography (PET) in comparison to electromagnetic techniques such as electroencephalography (EEG) are difficult to utilize for providing direct measurements of brain activation patterns related to creative cognition and divergent thinking. Research on utilizing these important techniques to scientifically investigate idea generation process. The research proposes to use a cognitive neuroscience model that utilizes EEG measurement techniques in combination with engineering ideation performance analysis to assess student divergent thinking and creative processes. This multidisciplinary research is being explored by a team that has combined expertise in the fields of engineering, neuroscience, and cognitive psychology. The intellectual merit is that it focused on using cognitive neuroscience to develop a systematic way to measure effects of different techniques on divergent thinking to develop effective creativity curriculum for engineering. The study uses assessments based upon changes in spectral power of the in different EEG frequency bands and the analysis of Event-Related BRAIN Potentials to track changes in brain activation patterns associated to assess divergent thinking The broader impacts is insight into the cognitive and neural mechanisms underlying divergent thinking related to experimental design and innovation. This project is supported by NSF's EHR Core Research (ECR) Program. The ECR program emphasizes fundamental STEM Education research that generates foundational knowledge in the field.