Cognitive Science
The act of engaging with art and the brain are inexplicably linked. Engaging in the production of creative ideas and the physical process of creating art, there is a reduction in cortisol levels and improvement in functional connectivity in the frontal and parietal cortices. A greater connection between Executive Function (EF) and the Default Mode Network (DMN) has also been found.
Kaimal et al., 2007; McArdle, 2008; Smithrim & Upitis, 2005
Cognitive Sciences
Click the title to learn more about Executive Function, how it is developed, and how intricately it is linked to art.
Click the title to learn more about the Default Mode Network, how it is activated, and how it is connected to EF and art.
Click the title to learn how the brain functions during creativity and art production in a developing brain.
Cognitive Sciences and Art
Engaging in the messy process of art engages almost every area of the brain, reducing cortisol levels and improving functional connectivity in the parietal and frontal cortices, improving motivation, creativity, innovation, academic achievement, and social skills (Kaimal et al., 2007; McArdle, 2008; Smithrim & Upitis, 2005).
There is the idea that art is emotional rather than intellectual, however the arts play a role in interpreting experiences and are a cognitive event
(Eisner, 2002).
The arts are perhaps the best way to "accidentally" target and improve brain functioning in our young students. Go to pedagogy to learn more.
References
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Eisner, E. W. (2005). Reimagining Schools: The Selected Works of Elliot W. Eisner. http://ci.nii.ac.jp/ncid/BA75318016
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Kaimal, G., Ayaz, H., Herres, J., Dieterich-Hartwell, R., Makwana, B., Kaiser, D. H., & Nasser, J. A. (2017). Functional near-infrared spectroscopy assessment of reward perception based on visual self-expression: Coloring, doodling, and free drawing. The Arts in Psychotherapy, 55, 85–92. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aip.2017.05.004
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Kolb, B., Whishaw, I. Q., & Teskey, C. G. (2019). An introduction to brain and behavior (Sixth). Worth Publishers.
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McArdle, F. (2008). The arts and staying cool. Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood, 9(4), 365–374. https://doi.org/10.2304/ciec.2008.9.4.365
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Smithrim, K., & Upitis, R. (2005). Learning through the arts: Lessons of engagement. Canadian Journal of Education / Revue Canadienne De L’éducation, 28(1/2), 109–127. https://doi.org/10.2307/1602156