Right Cortical Activation During Generation of Creative Insights: An Electroencephalographic Study of Coaching

Abstract

Coaching as a human development methodology has been demonstrating its results for more than four decades. Even so, the level of confusion about its essence and its lack of a definitive theoretical and methodological framework has caused its effectiveness to be questioned. Although studies on coaching with neuroimaging methodologies have been developed, there is no recent evidence about the brain changes in electroencephalographic (EEG) activity during a coaching session. The present research aims to make a comparison between EEG measurements of three different conditions, namely, rumination (R), directive (DC), and non-directive coaching (NDC), during the process of problem solving and goal achievement. Our hypothesis was that the use of the meta-competencies of NDC should induce a higher activation of brain mechanisms that facilitate the insight process, therefore causing an improvement in creative capacity. Results showed significant changes in alpha and theta frequencies in the right temporal region, and alpha, theta, and gamma in the right parietal region in the NDC condition compared to other experimental conditions. The correct use of the meta-competencies of NDC facilitates the rise of insight and the generation of creativity processes at the brain level. Thus, the application of the methodological framework of the NDC was related, in a specific way, to the creativity and the development of human knowledge.

From Coaching to Neurocoaching: A Neuroscientific Approach during a Coaching Session to Assess the Relational Dynamics between Coach and Coachee—A Pilot Study

“…The study demonstrated that the coaching interventions produced an increase in these neurological indicators, signaling an improvement in the coachees' decision-making ability [140]. A subsequent study carried out by Bartolomé and colleagues [146] compared the effectiveness of directive and non-directive coaching styles in enhancing the coachee's ability to develop creative insights (i.e., divergent thinking), considered an effect of strengthening problem-solving skills. The non-directive coaching style showed greater activation of the alpha and theta bands in the right temporal region and alpha, theta, and gamma in the right parietal area.…”

“…The non-directive coaching style showed greater activation of the alpha and theta bands in the right temporal region and alpha, theta, and gamma in the right parietal area. Such brain activations, which are associated with processes of creative ideation [147][148][149][150], metacognition [151,152], and problem solving [153,154], provided neurophysiological evidence that coaching can enhance insight-based problem-solving skills [146].…”

Ground Zero in Lifestyle Medicine: Changing Mindsets to Change Behavior

“…36 Interestingly, in an MRI study comparing EEG activity of nondirective coaching (as described in this article) and directive coaching (instructing and advising), nondirective coaching showed EEG activity consistent with higher generation of insights than directive coaching. 37 Examples of integration, and insight generation, in the context of lifestyle medicine include:…”

A sound case for listening

“…Additional insights on the generation of creativity/insight that may occur during a coaching session can be gained with the study of non-directive coaching (Bartolome et al, 2022 ). Non-directive coaching (NDC), is a client-centered conversation oriented to reflection, wherein the coach mainly observes and listens to the client speaking, mirroring what the client says, and asking open ended questions, enhancing the client's own potential for reflection (Bartolome et al, 2022 ). When considering the neurophysiological signature of NDC, significant activation in networks of the right parieto-temporal region occurred during the generation of (creative) insights (Bartolome et al, 2022 ).…”