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Call for papers - Cognitive and neural mechanisms of creativity

Guest Editors

Linden J. Ball, PhD, University of Central Lancashire, UK
Radwa Khalil, PhD, Constructor University, Germany
Yadan Li, PhD, Shaanxi Normal University, China

Submission Status: Open   |   Submission Deadline: 8 May 2025


BMC Psychology welcomes submissions to our Collection on Cognitive and neural mechanisms of creativity. This Collection explores the interplay between cognitive processes, neural mechanisms, and creativity across various domains, including but not limited to psychology, neuroscience, cognitive science, and related disciplines. We invite submissions that shed light on the multifaceted nature of creativity, employing diverse methodologies such as experimental psychology, neuroimaging, computational modeling, and clinical studies.

Meet the Guest Editors

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Linden J. Ball, PhD, University of Central Lancashire, UK

Dr Linden J. Ball is a Professor of Cognitive Psychology and an Associate Dean for Research and Knowledge Exchange at the University of Central Lancashire, Preston, UK. He is primarily interested in the role of metacognitive monitoring and control in reasoning, problem solving and creativity, both in individual and collaborative contexts. He is Editor-in-Chief of Journal of Cognitive Psychology and Associate Editor of Thinking & Reasoning. He has published extensively and has also recently co-edited the Routledge International Handbook of Thinking and Reasoning and the Routledge International Handbook of Creative Cognition.
 

Radwa Khalil, PhD, Constructor University, Germany

Dr Radwa Khalil is a Neuroscientist and Lecturer at the School of Business, Social and Decision Sciences, Constructor University, Bremen, Germany. She is an interdisciplinary neuroscientist with over fourteen years of experience and three years as a lecturer. Radwa is passionate about leading her research team and applying her extensive cognitive neuroscience and psychology experience to enrich the academic environment. Throughout her academic journey, she has honed advanced critical thinking skills in neuropsychology.
 

Yadan Li, PhD, Shaanxi Normal University, China

Dr Yadan Li is a Research Associate Professor and Doctoral Supervisor in the Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Modern Teaching Technology at Shaanxi Normal University. She is also a Visiting Scholar at the University of Hong Kong. As of July 2024, she published sixty-two academic papers in peer-reviewed journals and two academic books. She is the principal investigator of eighteen research projects and is the co-investigator of twenty research projects supported by various organizations, including the National Natural Science Foundation of China and the National Social Science Foundation of China. She was awarded the first prize for outstanding achievement in humanities and social science research in Shaanxi universities.

About the Collection

BMC Psychology welcomes submissions to our Collection on Cognitive and neural mechanisms of creativity. This Collection explores the interplay between cognitive processes, neural mechanisms, and creativity across various domains, including but not limited to psychology, neuroscience, cognitive science, and related disciplines.

Creativity, often regarded as a hallmark of human cognition, encompasses the ability to generate novel and valuable ideas, solutions, or products. It pervades diverse aspects of human endeavor, from artistic expression and scientific innovation to problem-solving in everyday life. Yet, the cognitive and neural mechanisms that underpin creative thinking remain a subject of intense scholarly inquiry and debate.

We invite submissions that shed light on the multifaceted nature of creativity, employing diverse methodologies such as experimental psychology, neuroimaging, computational modeling, and clinical studies. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

  • Neural correlates of creative cognition: brain regions, networks, and dynamics associated with different facets of creative thinking, including idea generation underlying divergent convergent, associative, and lateral thinking, as well as insight
  • Cognitive processes underlying creativity: the cognitive mechanisms involved in creative problem-solving, such as expertise development and cool executive functions, including cognitive flexibility, working memory, attention, and inhibition,  as well as hot executive functions, including emotional aspects
  • Individual differences in creativity: personality traits, cognitive styles, genetic factors, and environmental influences that contribute to variations in creative abilities across individuals and populations
  • Developmental perspectives on creativity: the emergence and evolution of creative thinking from childhood through adulthood, considering factors such as environmental stimulation, educational interventions, and critical periods of brain development
  • Neural plasticity and creative interventions: the potential for enhancing creative abilities through cognitive training, neurofeedback, brain stimulation techniques, and other interventions targeting neural plasticity
  • Cultural and societal influences on creativity: how cultural norms, societal values, historical context, and social dynamics shape creative expression, innovation, and the reception of creative works


By fostering dialogue among researchers from diverse backgrounds, this Collection aims to deepen our understanding of the nature of creativity and its implications for psychology, neuroscience, education, the arts, and beyond.

Image credit: © Ukususha / Getty Images / iStock

There are currently no articles in this collection.

Submission Guidelines

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This Collection welcomes submission of original Research Articles. Should you wish to submit a different article type, please read our submission guidelines to confirm that type is accepted by the journal. Articles for this Collection should be submitted via our submission system, Snapp. During the submission process you will be asked whether you are submitting to a Collection, please select "Cognitive and neural mechanisms of creativity" from the dropdown menu.

Articles will undergo the journal’s standard peer-review process and are subject to all of the journal’s standard policies. Articles will be added to the Collection as they are published.

The Editors have no competing interests with the submissions which they handle through the peer review process. The peer review of any submissions for which the Editors have competing interests is handled by another Editorial Board Member who has no competing interests.