Influence of individual psychological features on the EEG spatial organization in nonverbal divergent thinking

Effects of different psychophysiological characteristics on the speed of associative processes during the performance of a nonverbal-divergent (NVD) test (formation of the maximal possible number of visual images on the basis of two simple geometrical figures within 5 min) and on the spatial organization of bioelectric potentials (SOBP) were studied. Changes in the indices of spatial synchronization (SS) and spatial disorder (SD) of bioelectric potentials, which characterize, respectively, simple linear and more intricate nonlinear interrelations, were analyzed. A significant correlation was shown between 8 out of 35 psychophysiological indices analyzed (reflecting the emotional, motivational-behavioral, and cognitive styles; the total working capacity; and the autonomic tone) and the productivity index of the NVD test (fluency). Psychological features such as “stress susceptibility,” “disposition to nonstandard decisions and behavior,” “eccentricity,” “reflectivity,” and high “general and autonomic tone” facilitate activation (an increase in the SS and SD) in the frontotemporal areas of the right hemisphere, which is probably a neurophysiological correlate of success in performance of the test. Moreover, psychological features such as “field independence” and “autonomy” contribute to an increase in the activity of the occipital areas of the left hemisphere. In aggregate, the direction “frontal right-occipital left” areas becomes accentuated in the SOBP (the “creative axis”). According to our concept, this axis is of special importance in search operations and creative processes.