Using a creative production task, jazz improvisation, we tested alternative hypotheses about the flow experience: (A) that it is a state of domain-specific processing optimized by experience and characterized by minimal interference from task-negative default-mode network (DMN) activity versus (B) that it recruits domain-general task-positive DMN activity supervised by the fronto-parietal control network (FPCN) to support ideation. We recorded jazz guitarists' electroencephalograms (EEGs) while they improvised to provided chord sequences. Their flow-states were measured with the Core Flow State Scale. Flow-related neural sources were reconstructed using SPM12. Over all musicians, high-flow (relative to low-flow) improvisations were associated with transient hypofrontality. High-experience musicians’ high-flow improvisations showed reduced activity in posterior DMN nodes. Low-experience musicians showed no flow-related DMN or FPCN modulation. High-experience musicians also showed modality-specific left-hemisphere flow-related activity while low-experience musicians showed modality-specific right-hemisphere flow-related deactivations. These results are consistent with the idea that creative flow represents optimized domain-specific processing enabled by extensive practice paired with reduced cognitive control.

中文翻译：

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作为优化处理的创意流程：来自专家和非专家音乐家即兴演奏爵士乐期间大脑振荡的证据

使用创造性的制作任务，爵士乐即兴创作，我们测试了关于心流体验的替代假设：（A）它是一种通过经验优化的特定领域处理状态，其特征是来自任务负面默认模式网络（DMN）的最小干扰活动与（B）相比，它招募由额顶叶控制网络（FPCN）监督的领域通用任务积极 DMN 活动来支持构思。我们记录了爵士吉他手即兴演奏和弦序列时的脑电图 (EEG)。他们的心流状态是用核心心流状态量表测量的。使用 SPM12 重建与流相关的神经源。对于所有音乐家来说，高流量（相对于低流量）的即兴创作与短暂的额叶功能低下有关。高经验音乐家的高流量即兴创作显示后 DMN 节点的活动减少。经验不足的音乐家没有表现出与流程相关的 DMN 或 FPCN 调制。高经验的音乐家还表现出与模态特定的左半球血流相关的活动，而经验不足的音乐家则表现出与模态特定的右半球血流相关的失活。这些结果与创意流代表优化的特定领域处理的观点是一致的，这是通过广泛的实践和减少的认知控制来实现的。