[Electrophysiological mechanisms and possibility of increasing figural creativity under conditions of monetary reward]

Analysis of EEG correlates of figural creativity (Torrens "Incomplete figures" subtest) and its efficacy after the instruction "to create an original solution" (condition I) and after the same instruction with the promise of a monetary reward for high performance (condition II) was carried out. Fifteen right-handed men and 16 women were examined. In condition II, the image originality was not increased, but performance fluency was reduced as compared to condition I. Promise of the monetary reward in condition II was followed by a decrease in the theta1-rhythm power before the task performance, which persisted during the image creation. Baseline values of the power of rhythms alpha1 and 2 were higher in condition II as compared to condition 1. Promise of the monetary reward in condition II was associated with a reduction of the experimental beta1- and beta2-rhythm power in posterior regions of the cerebral cortex. These effects may be associated with pre-setting to the forthcoming activity and task performance under increased extrinsic motivation. The enhancement of external motivation in condition II also induced changes in hemispheric power asymmetry of the teta1-, alpha1, and beta2-rhythm at the expense of the left-hemisphere activity, which may be the basis of different effects of high motivation levels on subjects, who preferred right or left hemispheric strategies during figural divergent thinking.