Divergent thinking tests have been used extensively in neuroscientific studies of creativity. However, output from tests of divergent thinking can be scored in different ways, and those scores can influence assessments of divergent thinking performance and its relationship with brain activation. Here we sought to investigate the relationship between various methods of scoring the Alternate Uses Task (AUT)-a well-known test of divergent thinking-and regional grey matter volume (GMV) using voxel-based morphometry (VBM). We assessed AUT performance based on (a) traditional approaches that involve scoring participants' output on fluency, flexibility, originality, and elaboration, (b) a subjective approach that involves scoring output directly on "snapshot" creativity, and (c) the definitional approach that involves scoring output separately on novelty and usefulness-the two criteria deemed necessary and jointly sufficient to categorize an idea as creative. Correcting for age, sex, intracranial volume, verbal IQ and working memory capacity, we found negative correlations between regional GMV in the left inferior temporal gyrus (ITG) and novelty and usefulness scores, but no correlation involving other scoring approaches. As part of the brain's core semantic system, this region is involved in concept retrieval and integration. We discuss the implications of these findings for our understanding of the neural bases of divergent thinking, and how ITG could be related to the generation of novel and useful responses.

中文翻译：

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替代用途任务评分方法与发散思维的神经相关性之间的关系：来自基于体素的形态测量学的证据

发散思维测试已广泛用于创造力的神经科学研究。然而，发散思维测试的输出可以用不同的方式评分，这些分数会影响对发散思维表现及其与大脑激活关系的评估。在这里，我们试图研究使用基于体素的形态测量学 (VBM) 对替代用途任务 (AUT) 进行评分的各种方法之间的关系 - 一种众所周知的发散思维测试 - 与区域灰质体积 (GMV) 之间的关系。我们基于 (a) 传统方法评估了 AUT 的表现，这些方法涉及对参与者的流畅性、灵活性、原创性和精细度的输出进行评分，(b) 一种主观方法，包括直接根据“快照”创造力对输出进行评分，(c) 定义方法，包括根据新颖性和实用性分别对输出进行评分——这两个标准被认为是必要的，并且共同足以将一个想法归类为创意。校正年龄、性别、颅内体积、语言智商和工作记忆容量后，我们发现左侧颞下回 (ITG) 的区域 GMV 与新颖性和有用性评分呈负相关，但与其他评分方法无关。作为大脑核心语义系统的一部分，该区域参与概念检索和整合。我们讨论了这些发现对我们理解发散思维的神经基础的影响，以及 ITG 如何与新的和有用的反应的产生相关。