Give your ideas some legs: The positive effect of walking on creative thinking.

Oppezzo, Marily; Schwartz, Daniel L.

doi:10.1037/a0036577

Cited by 359 publications

(363 citation statements)

References 73 publications

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“…Motricity and cognition are functionally connected and both evolved in parallel and independently. Walking has been demonstrated to rely on cognitive-motor interactions that facilitate problem solving (Leisman, Moustafa, & Shafir, 2016), relate to embodiment (Masson, 2015), creativity (Oppezzo & Schwartz, 2014), and may possibly bypass cognitive avoidance by changing the vantage perspective (Williams & Moulds, 2007). These are elements that are critical for the treatment of fear-related and traumatic memories.…”

Section: Cognitive-motor Interaction In Exposure Treatmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Patients walk in a treadmill towards self-chosen, high affect pictures of their deployment (see Figure 1). 20122014The behavioral response of approachment (‘moving towards’) (Badour, Boningen etc.) is quite the opposite from avoidance (‘moving away’) that typically is used.…”

Section: Walking and Talking During Exposure In A Virtual Interactivementioning

confidence: 99%

“…is quite the opposite from avoidance (‘moving away’) that typically is used. Together with effect on divergent thinking (Opezzo and Schwartz, 2014) these are the key drivers for our approach. Taken together, these make it plausible that patients can more easily access other associations related to their trauma memory while walking (see Clinical case).…”

Section: Walking and Talking During Exposure In A Virtual Interactivementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Second, a trauma memory could fade more effectively by performing multiple tasks (Gunter & Bodner, 2008), including movements, that tax working memory. Third, by means of embodied cognition and increased creativity (Oppezzo & Schwartz, 2014), moving could influence the content of the thought processes about the trauma and lead to different associations and changed orientations. Fourth, walking could be a means to get rid of the tension exposure evokes in the body.…”

Section: Road Map For Further Researchmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Moving forward in treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder: innovations to exposure-based therapy

Nijdam

Vermetten

2018

European Journal of Psychotraumatology

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The field of treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been a pacesetter for the changing face of psychotherapy, as is illustrated in the introduction of Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy. This paper outlines a novel approach that builds on a cognitive-motor interaction in a virtual interactive environment. It is based on the theory of memory reconsolidation and the embodiment of cognition. The framework we envision allows the patient to 'step into the past' by using forward motion as an essential ingredient to augment the impact of exposure to traumatic events. The behavioural response of approaching that is the exact opposite from the avoidance usually applied by patients and the enhancement of divergent thinking are the most prominent hypothesized mechanisms of action. This can contribute to strengthening of personal efficacy and self-reflection that is generated by high emotional engagement, as well as a sense of accomplishment and enhanced recovery as illustrated by a clinical case example. We argue that innovations with personalized virtual reality and motion need to be further investigated and implemented in current therapy settings.

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Section: Cognitive-motor Interaction In Exposure Treatmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Walking and Talking During Exposure In A Virtual Interactivementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Walking and Talking During Exposure In A Virtual Interactivementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Road Map For Further Researchmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Moving forward in treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder: innovations to exposure-based therapy

Nijdam

Vermetten

2018

European Journal of Psychotraumatology

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“…A negative mood, particularly anger, also improves creativity (Baas et al, 2011). Additionally, certain body postures and physical action improve creative thinking (Hao et al, 2017;Oppezzo and Schwartz, 2014) and observing ambiguous figures that can be interpreted in two ways, such as Rubin's vase, enhances performance in creative tasks (Wu et al, 2016). Thus, as mentioned above, various ways to facilitate creative thinking exist.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

‘‘Close, and ye shall find’’: eye closure during thinking enhances creativity

et al. 2018

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Facilitation of creative thinking is an important element for innovation. It has been suggested that cognitive resources are involved in creative thinking; however, little evidence of this involvement has been found. To address this issue, the present study focuses on eye closure, which saves more cognitive resources than open eyes. Forty participants experienced both close-eyed and open-eyed conditions, and all of them were asked to generate new names for rice and tea. The results revealed that in the close-eyed condition, participants generated 1.6-times more divergent (unrestricted and flexible) ideas than in the open-eyed condition, suggesting that closing eyes during thinking enhances creativity. Our findings provide empirical evidence for the necessity of cognitive resources in creative thinking.

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Physical Inactivity and Mental Health in Late Adolescence

2018

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Late adolescence, between the ages of 15 and 19 years, represents a critical stage in life in which young people develop a sense of identity and independence as they transition to adulthood. This stage in life also involves pressures of maturation, academic performance expectations, and changing social roles. Compound these pressures with economic and psychosocial adversity in childhood and early adolescence, including abuse and neglect at home or racial/ethnic, gender, and sexual discrimination, and there emerges an increasing crisis in adolescents' mental health. Worldwide, the prevalence of mental health disorders (eg, depression, anxiety) increases markedly during late adolescence, reaching a peak during early adulthood (ages 20-24 years).Juxtaposed against these trajectories of declining mental health, late adolescence is also marked by decreases in health-enhancing physical activity behavior. The results of a prominent systematic review and pooled analysis revealed that between the ages of 10 and 19 years, this decrease equates to a 7% yearly reduction in physical activity. 1 An increasing body of longitudinal and experimental evidence points to the capacity of regular physical activity to contribute to positive mental health outcomes and buffer against ill health. 2 Previous work suggests that, for many individuals, acute bouts of physical activity can alleviate some of the deleterious emotional effects of experiencing stressful events. 3 In recognition of the benefits of regular physical activity, schools are universally considered to be key settings for providing regular physical activity through curricular (physical education), cocurricular (recess and lunch), and extracurricular (after-school programs and school sports) activities. Within general education systems worldwide, a United Nations report 4 identified that in 97% of countries surveyed, there were legal requirements for or it was a matter of general practice that adolescents receive regular physical education. Nevertheless, even when policy and state laws exist, the reality often involves diminished scheduling and uptake of physical education, especially in the upper secondary levels (ie, late adolescence), with time redirected to other academic subjects (ie, competing pressures of academic performance). 4 Of interest, recent evidence from the United States indicates that although 33.3% of states have minimum requirements for time spent in physical activity in elementary schools, this percentage decreases to 24.5% of states for middle or junior high schools and 9.8% of states for high schools. 5 In short, a nontrivial gap exists in the typical provision of and opportunities for physical activity in late adolescence. Because of the compelling evidence that now exists linking physical activity to improved cognitive function, 2 as well as the capacity for physical activity to reduce VIEWPOINT

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Give your ideas some legs: The positive effect of walking on creative thinking.

Cited by 359 publications

References 73 publications

Moving forward in treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder: innovations to exposure-based therapy

Moving forward in treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder: innovations to exposure-based therapy

‘‘Close, and ye shall find’’: eye closure during thinking enhances creativity

Physical Inactivity and Mental Health in Late Adolescence

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