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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 19, 2026

Online Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation of Dorsomedial and Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex in Cognition Decision Making, and Cognitive Dissonance

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Mind-Body Dissonance: A Catalyst to Creativity.

¹INSEAD, Fontainebleau, France.

Personality & Social Psychology Bulletin

|September 22, 2019

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Mind-body dissonance (MBD), where body actions conflict with mental states, can boost creativity by promoting unconventional thinking. Past MBD experiences, however, may diminish this creativity-enhancing effect.

Keywords:

atypicality mind-set creativity feelings-as-information mind–body dissonance self-perception

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Area of Science:

Psychology
Cognitive Science
Creativity Research

Background:

Mind-body dissonance (MBD) describes the incongruence between an individual's physical expressions and their internal mental states.
Understanding the interplay between physical states and psychological outcomes is crucial for cognitive research.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate whether mind-body dissonance (MBD) can enhance creative performance.
To explore the underlying psychological mechanisms, specifically an "atypicality mind-set," that mediate the relationship between MBD and creativity.
To examine how prior experiences with MBD influence its effect on creativity.

Main Methods:

Four experiments involving 887 participants were conducted.
MBD was induced through methods such as adopting specific postures (high-power/low-power, constricted/expansive) or performing facial expressions (frowning/smiling) incongruent with recalled memories (happy/sad).
Creativity was assessed using tasks measuring associative, insight, and generative abilities. Mediation analysis and examination of past MBD frequency were employed.

Main Results:

Inducing MBD through postural or facial incongruence significantly enhanced performance on creative tasks.
An atypicality mind-set was identified as a key mediator, explaining how MBD facilitates creativity.
Individuals with frequent past MBD experiences showed a reduced creativity-enhancing effect from induced MBD.

Conclusions:

Mind-body dissonance can serve as a catalyst for enhanced creativity by fostering an atypicality mind-set.
The findings underscore the importance of considering the dynamic interaction between physical and psychological states in understanding creativity.
The study highlights that the impact of MBD on creativity is moderated by an individual's history with such experiences.