The impact of knowledge on poetry composition: An fMRI investigation

Abstract

Poetry composition is an ecologically valid approach for investigating creative processes. However, little is known about how the brain creates poetry and about the role of knowledge during poetry composition. Here, we identified patterns of task-based functional connectivity during poetry composition by experts and novices under two experimental conditions (familiar vs unfamiliar themes) and one control condition. Poetry composition was related to large-scale network connectivity between the language network (LN) and the right executive control network (RECN), precuneus, and higher visual network. Under familiar themes, poetry composition recruited more functional connections between the RECN and default mode network, whereas using unfamiliar themes elicited more functional connections between sensorimotor and visual networks. Moreover, the strength of LN-RECN is positively correlated with originality in the familiar condition, while negatively correlated with originality in the unfamiliar condition. These results reveal the brain connectivity patterns and highlight the importance of knowledge underlying poetry composition.