Are False Memory and Creative Thinking Mediated by Common Neural Substrates? An fMRI Meta-Analysis.

Episodic retrieval plays a functional-adaptive role in supporting divergent creative thinking, the ability to creatively combine different pieces of information. However, the same constructive memory process that provides this benefit can also lead to memory errors. Prior behavioral work has shown that there is a positive correlation between the false recognition of lure items in the Deese-Roediger-McDermott (DRM) paradigm, and divergent creative thinking as assessed on the alternate uses task (AUT).