Learn to Create, Design to Learn

Keywords

neural plasticity, creative flow, skill development

Abstract

Humans Are Designed Both to Learn and to Design

The ability to create, and to become better at creating, is implicit in the nature of the brain’s neural network. A study performed in 2001 showed that when monkeys used tools, their brains rewired themselves to include those tools in their brain maps. To their brains, the tools became extensions of their bodies [1]. Any artist or creator proficient in his or her sphere has experienced such a sensation—moments when the brush and the pen guide themselves—though the neuroscientific explanation for this process probably wasn’t obvious. As one approaches the peak of efficient work and cerebral focus, creativity becomes a self-sustaining process: the flow of ideas morphs into a rapid current that carries the creator and maximizes both the pace of the work and the enjoyment that comes with it. We all seek to innovate in such a way, but how do we achieve this level of creation on a regular basis?

Original Publication Citation

Learn to Create, Design to Learn, The BYU Design Review, Brock Christensen and Taylor Halverson, July 22, 2020.

Document Type

Peer-Reviewed Article

Publication Date

2020

Publisher

The BYU Design Review

Language

English

College

Marriott School of Business

Department

Marketing

University Standing at Time of Publication

Associate Professor

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