The impact of physical exercise on convergent and divergent thinking

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dc.contributor.authorS Colzato, Lorenza
dc.contributor.authorSzapora, Ayca
dc.contributor.authorPannekoek, Justine N
dc.contributor.authorHommel, Bernhard
dc.date.accessioned2021-10-08T07:04:05Z
dc.date.available2021-10-08T07:04:05Z
dc.date.issued2013
dc.description.abstractAnecdotal literature suggests that creative people sometimes use bodily movement to help overcome mental blocks and lack of inspiration. Several studies have shown that physical exercise may sometimes enhance creative thinking, but the evidence is still inconclusive. In this study we investigated whether creativity in convergent- and divergent-thinking tasks is affected by acute moderate and intense physical exercise in athletes (n = 48) and non-athletes (n = 48). Exercise interfered with divergent thinking in both groups. The impact on convergent thinking, the task that presumably required more cognitive control, depended on the training level: while in non-athletes performance was significantly impaired by exercise, athletes showed a benefit that approached significance. The findings suggest that acute exercise may affect both, divergent and convergent thinking. In particular, it seems to affect control-hungry tasks through exercise-induced “ego-depletion,” which however is less pronounced in individuals with higher levels of physical fitness, presumably because of the automatization of movement control, fitness-related neuroenergetic benefits, or both.
dc.identifier.apacitationS Colzato, L., Szapora, A., Pannekoek, J. N., & Hommel, B. (2013). The impact of physical exercise on convergent and divergent thinking. <i>Frontiers in Human Neuroscience</i>, 7(4), 174 - 177. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/34424en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationS Colzato, Lorenza, Ayca Szapora, Justine N Pannekoek, and Bernhard Hommel "The impact of physical exercise on convergent and divergent thinking." <i>Frontiers in Human Neuroscience</i> 7, 4. (2013): 174 - 177. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/34424en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationS Colzato, L., Szapora, A., Pannekoek, J.N. & Hommel, B. 2013. The impact of physical exercise on convergent and divergent thinking. <i>Frontiers in Human Neuroscience.</i> 7(4):174 - 177. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/34424en_ZA
dc.identifier.issn1662-5161
dc.identifier.ris TY - Journal Article AU - S Colzato, Lorenza AU - Szapora, Ayca AU - Pannekoek, Justine N AU - Hommel, Bernhard AB - Anecdotal literature suggests that creative people sometimes use bodily movement to help overcome mental blocks and lack of inspiration. Several studies have shown that physical exercise may sometimes enhance creative thinking, but the evidence is still inconclusive. In this study we investigated whether creativity in convergent- and divergent-thinking tasks is affected by acute moderate and intense physical exercise in athletes (n = 48) and non-athletes (n = 48). Exercise interfered with divergent thinking in both groups. The impact on convergent thinking, the task that presumably required more cognitive control, depended on the training level: while in non-athletes performance was significantly impaired by exercise, athletes showed a benefit that approached significance. The findings suggest that acute exercise may affect both, divergent and convergent thinking. In particular, it seems to affect control-hungry tasks through exercise-induced “ego-depletion,” which however is less pronounced in individuals with higher levels of physical fitness, presumably because of the automatization of movement control, fitness-related neuroenergetic benefits, or both. DA - 2013 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town IS - 4 J1 - Frontiers in Human Neuroscience LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PY - 2013 SM - 1662-5161 T1 - The impact of physical exercise on convergent and divergent thinking TI - The impact of physical exercise on convergent and divergent thinking UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/34424 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/34424
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationS Colzato L, Szapora A, Pannekoek JN, Hommel B. The impact of physical exercise on convergent and divergent thinking. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience. 2013;7(4):174 - 177. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/34424.en_ZA
dc.language.isoeng
dc.publisher.departmentDepartment of Psychiatry and Mental Health
dc.publisher.facultyFaculty of Health Sciences
dc.sourceFrontiers in Human Neuroscience
dc.source.journalissue4
dc.source.journalvolume7
dc.source.pagination174 - 177
dc.source.urihttps://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2013.00824
dc.subject.otherphysical exercise
dc.subject.othercreativity
dc.subject.otherConvergent Thinking
dc.subject.otherdivergent thinking
dc.subject.otherfitness
dc.titleThe impact of physical exercise on convergent and divergent thinking
dc.typeJournal Article
uct.type.publicationResearch
uct.type.resourceJournal Article
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