Unconscious processing modulates creative problem solving: Evidence from an electrophysiological study

Previous behavioral studies have identified the significant role of subliminal cues in creative problem solving. However, neural mechanisms of such unconscious processing remain poorly understood. Here we utilized an event-related potential (ERP) approach and sandwich mask technique to investigate cerebral activities underlying the unconscious processing of cues in creative problem solving. College students were instructed to solve divergent problems under three different conditions (conscious cue, unconscious cue and no-cue conditions). Our data showed that creative problem solving can benefit from unconscious cues, although not as much as from conscious cues. More importantly, we found that there are crucial ERP components associated with unconscious processing of cues in solving divergent problems. Similar to the processing of conscious cues, processing unconscious cues in problem solving involves the semantic activation of unconscious cues (N280–340) in the right inferior parietal lobule (BA 40), new association formation (P350–450) in the right parahippocampal gyrus (BA 36), and mental representation transformation (P500–760) in the right superior temporal gyrus (BA 22). The present results suggest that creative problem solving can be modulated by unconscious processing of enlightening information that is weakly diffused in the semantic network beyond our conscious awareness.     

The organization of prospective thinking: Evidence of event clusters in freely generated future thoughts

Recent research suggests that many imagined future events are not represented in isolation, but instead are embedded in broader event sequences—referred to as event clusters. It remains unclear, however, whether the production of event clusters reflects the underlying organizational structure of prospective thinking or whether it is an artifact of the event-cuing task in which participants are explicitly required to provide chains of associated future events. To address this issue, the present study examined whether the occurrence of event clusters in prospective thought is apparent when people are left to think freely about events that might happen in their personal future. The results showed that the succession of events participants spontaneously produced when envisioning their future frequently included event clusters. This finding provides more compelling evidence that prospective thinking involves higher-order autobiographical knowledge structures that organize imagined events in coherent themes and sequences.     

The Effect of Episodic Future Thinking on Learning Intention: Focusing on English Learning Goal-Relevant Future Thinking in University Students1,2

We examined the effects of episodic future thinking related to achieving important learning goals on university students' learning intentions. Japanese university students (N = 70) participated in this experiment. Participants in the episodic future thinking condition were asked to imagine and describe events they would experience if they achieved their goals. In the semantic future thinking condition, we asked participants to describe their future selves after university graduation and rate the relevance of their future selves to their learning goals. Participants were then asked to respond to the learning intentions measures. Participants in the control condition responded to the measures of learning intentions after completing a questionnaire unrelated to future thinking. When the importance of goal attainment was high, participants in the episodic future thinking condition planned to study for significantly longer than those in the other conditions. Episodic future thinking related to achieving important learning goals strengthens learning intentions more than simple awareness of the future self and learning goals.     

Strategic Thinking on Advancing Socialism with Chinese Characteristics on All Fronts in the New Era—Studying the Spirit of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China

The Report to the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) is an action plan for the CPC to rally and lead the people to uphold and develop socialism with Chinese characteristics on the new journey of the new era. It gives a rational answer to the philosophical question of “Where is socialism with Chinese characteristics headed on the new journey of the new era” that underlies in the development course of this country, and contains strategic thinking that is forward-looking, big-picture, and pioneering. From a strategic perspective, the Report to the 20th National Congress points out a scientific path for China’s future development, clarifies phased tasks, and defines specific strategic choices, reflecting the forwardlooking strategic vision of planning the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics. Based on the viewpoint of holistic, developing, and universal connection, it aims to achieve the unity between local and overall interests in strategic deployment, the unity between the present and the future in strategic objectives, and the unity between domestic and international development in strategic vision. It highlights the principles of scientific socialism as upholding the guidance of Marxism, the overall leadership of the CPC, and the people’s decisive role in history, pioneering a new frontier in adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times.     

教师创造性教学行为与小学生创造性思维的关系：有调节的中介模型

以471名小学生为被试,采用儿童报告法考察教师创造性教学行为与小学生创造性思维的关系,同时探析小学生创意自我效能感的中介作用以及开放性人格的调节作用。结果发现:(1)在控制儿童性别、年龄和父母受教育程度后,感知到的教师创造性教学行为显著正向预测小学生创造性思维的流畅性、变通性和独特性;(2)感知到的教师创造性教学行为可以通过创意自我效能感影响小学生创造性思维的流畅性、变通性和独特性;(3)开放性人格能够调节感知到的教师创造性教学行为对小学生创意自我效能感的作用,个体开放性人格水平越高,小学生感知到的教师创造性教学行为对创意自我效能感的预测作用越强。研究表明,创意自我效能感和人格开放性可能是教师创造性教学行为与学生创造性思维关联的重要机制,改善教师的创造性教学行为,提高创意自我效能感和人格开放性水平,有助于促进小学生的创造性思维发展。     

脂肪细胞因子与2型糖尿病的防治

脂肪细胞因子与2型糖尿病并发症关系密切,随着对胰岛素抵抗(IRS)在2型糖尿病作用的认识,脂肪细胞因子的提出,使2型糖尿病并发症防治观念发生了根本的转变,提出了2型糖尿病并发症关防治新策略:从以降糖治疗为主到全面综合防治。对脂肪细胞因子和脂肪细胞因子与2型糖尿病并发症的关系的认识,体现了循证医学的思想和创新思维的启动。     

Chapter 13: Live a Little Before You Die a Lot: Creative Living in the Later Years

SUMMARY

Calling for a radical new paradigm for living the latter third of life, this article suggests that persons can continue to grow, improve, create, and experience a quality of life never known by previous generations of older persons. Issues such as freedom, courage, adaptability, and expansiveness, along with an openness to God's transforming power, are suggested as a means of accomplishing this goal.     

当前生物医学发展特征及其对科技创新方式的启示

近现代自然科学的迅猛发展,致使生物医学出现革命性的变化。科学历程从物质科学向生命科学、思维科学聚焦,科学问题从单因素向多因素复杂性问题转变,研究模式从学科交叉走向科学聚合,计算机作为科学工具的重要性愈加突显,科学能力从认识生命到操控与合成生命,国际科技合作也更加紧密。根据生物医学发展所呈现出的特征,预测对未来科技创新方式的影响,提出要以独立的科学思想,独创的科学工具和独有的科学文化推动我国生物医学发展,提高自主创新能力,服务人类健康。