There is an interesting survey doing the rounds at the moment http://ki.se/ki/jsp/polopoly.jsp?a=100727&d=2637&l… which links schizophrenia and creativity by arguing that both groups have ‘lower than expected density’ of their D2 receptors. In simple terms this means that these groups are less apt at filtering the most useful information from the least useful, leading them to make unconventional associations. Some people (like neurologist Tim Crow http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tim_Crow) think that schizophrenia is the result of physical abnormalities in the brain. Others (like Richard Bentall http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Bentall) think it is merely at the extreme end of a spectrum of behavioral traits that some individuals develop to cope with or withdraw from difficult and threatening circumstances. Some people also think its both…. and lets face it this is a mighty complex issue and unlikely to be answered by a simple psycological/ biological polarity. In this survey, Professor Fredrik Ullen appears to support the first theory, that levels of psychosis or creativity displayed originate from chemical rather than developmental processes.
I have the distinct feeling that there might be a multitude of different ways of proving this theory, both psychological and biological. I had somehow always thought that developmentally a child evolves a creative brain in order to problem solve or imagine alternative realities where the world was better, kinder or easier than the real world that they lived in. For example a child who was lonely might conjure a vivid imaginary friend in order to alleviate loneliness, thus developing the power for creative thinking that carries through into adulthood. I don’t think that it needs a tortured childhood to develop this capacity, more that creative thinking might be a strategy developed by the child to find ways of coping with the complicated world. Psychologists like Richard Bentall have argued that psychosis is an extreme from of a coping strategy or a way of dealing imaginatively with extreme hurts and disappointments in childhood. For example a child with an extreme persecutory farther may later in life develop a delusion where he is persecuted by imaginary voices.
What I think I am trying to say is that it seems a little simplistic to imagine that the creativity/mental health problem might be explained simply by the physical composition of the brain. There must be a combination of physical, circumstantial and psychological factors that impact on the development of creativity, no?
In other news….. here is my things to do lst for this week…….
1 – read & write to Gordana Novakovich
2- Check out all artists on Kim Noble’s list of artist suggestions
3 – look up Veronica’s suggestion Frank Wildman book on Feldenkrais
4- Write back to George and Maggie
5 – Somya’s suggestions?
6- John’s suggestions Sean Docherty and Nick Totton
7- Linda Hartley “Wisdom of the Boday Moving”
8- Read up on Welcome Collection and funding opportunities
9- contact New Media Curtating list for artist ideas
