Giovanni Emanuele Corazza

University of Bologna | UNIBO · "Guglielmo Marconi" Department of Electrical, Electronic and Information Engineering DEI

In this article, the problem of understanding multiple layers of complexity in our universe is addressed, with particular emphasis on explaining creative evolutions in the material, biological, and psycho-social layers. Perspectives from physics, biology, psychology, and philosophy are utilized in the discussion. Process philosophy is used to justi...

Alfred North Whitehead (1861–1947) was a prominent multidisciplinary figure, whose intellectual interests extended over mathematics, philosophy of science, history of science, education, religion, and metaphysics. The common thread to be found in Whitehead’s work across diversified disciplines is his quest for universal connectedness, which can be...

In this entry, the notion of potential is first introduced in its general meaning and then discussed for its role in creativity studies. In particular, by introducing the dynamic definition of creativity (Corazza, Creat Res J 28:258–267, 2016), which foresees that creativity is a context-embedded phenomenon requiring potential originality and effec...

In the present work we explored in two separate studies the modulatory role of trait emotional intelligence (EI) over the effect exerted on children’s creative potential by two other key elements defining creativity, namely cognitive resources (here explored through basic executive functions, Study 1) and contextual-environmental factors (that is,...

Future-making is a collective enterprise. Learning and creativity are as much psychological as they are social and cultural phenomena. The creation of new technologies requires division of labour, their use connects us with those around us. And the future of the emerging field of learning, creativity and technology studies is ours to envision and t...

This article presents how Problem- and Project-Based Learning (PBL) in engineering education can exploit the theoretical framework of the Space–Time (ST)-Continuum, according to which educational contexts can be classified in terms of the tightness vs. looseness of the relevant conceptual space S and available time T. By crossing these two dimensio...

Past research showed that apparently irrelevant information for a creative task at hand can lead to higher creative performance, especially in open-minded individuals. Through two diverse experimental procedures, the present work investigated which type of irrelevance information can inspire (i.e., increase) the creative performance during a diverg...

This paper examines the concept of creative potential as it applies in science. First, conceptual issues concerning the definition of creative potential are explored, highlighting that creative potential is a moving target, and measures of creative potential are estimates of future behavior. Then three main ways to detect creative potential are exa...

In this Chapter, the DA VINCI model for the creative process is introduced. The model is constituted by five mental states, that form DA VINCI as an acronym: DAV (Drive: Attention and Volition), I (Information), N (Novelty generation), C (Creativity estimation), I (Implementation). The DA VINCI model is dynamic and descends from the dynamic definit...

The dynamic creativity framework (DCF) represents a new theoretical perspective for studying the creativity construct. This framework is based on the dynamic definition of creativity, and it has both theoretical and empirical implications. From a theoretical point of view, we review the characteristics of the dynamic creative process and its extens...

Creative potential is a set of multidimensional resources concerning the latent ability to produce original and adaptive work. Confluent theoretical models, in particular, stated that, in order to express creative potential in an effective way, resources should converge and interact efficiently. Within such a confluent framework, the present study...

The neurotransmitter dopamine plays a crucial role in human creative behaviour. Specifically, striatal dopamine seems to be associated with specific dimensions of divergent thinking performance, especially with categorical diversity (flexibility) of ideas. In experimental contexts, spontaneous Eye Blink Rate (sEBR) has been used as a proxy for stri...

[Creativity is one of the cognitive abilities that significantly differentiate humans from other animal species. For its intrinsic complexity, creative thinking has always been considered an elusive phenomenon, difficult to investigate. In recent years, however, the study of creative thinking is rapidly advancing thanks to important methodological...

What inspires us during a creative act? We know from past research that apparently irrelevant information for a task at hand can lead to higher creative performance, especially in open-minded individuals. But what does irrelevance mean and how can open-minded individuals be inspired by this kind of information? Through two diverse experimental proc...

In this paper, we address the relationship between the intelligence and creativity constructs, by providing equal-level definitions and a parsimonious description of context, allowing the identification of situations in which either one or the other construct prevails, as well as situations in which they overlap and collaborate. The description of...

In the Dynamic Creativity Framework creativity is defined as a context-embedded phenomenon requiring potential originality and effectiveness. This definition indicates that the environmental conditions embedding the creative process have fundamental impact on the process itself and its outcomes. In particular, Virtual environments (VEs) are emergin...

The national lockdown imposed in several countries to counteract the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic led to an unprecedented situation with serious effects on mental health of the general population and of subjects affected by heterogeneous diseases. Considering the positive association between narcoleptic symptoms and creativity, we a...

In this chapter, we address the problem of designing an educational system for the development of both intelligence and creativity. Whereas the traditional education system has been designed for the development of intelligence and competencies, the sociocultural evolution that generated the Information Society calls for creativity as a key learning...

Central disorders of hypersomnolence (CDH) are characterized by excessive daytime sleepiness not related to comorbid sleep or medical disturbances. We systematically examined scientific literature on cognitive functions in patients suffering from CDH. Forty-eight studies proved eligible and were analyzed separately for Narcolepsy Type 1 (NT1), Narc...

EEG alpha synchronization, especially in posterior parietal cortical regions of the right hemisphere, is indicative of high internal processing demands that are typically involved in divergent thinking (DT). During the course of DT, as ideation proceeds, ideas tend to become more creative, being more likely to be drawn from new conceptual categorie...

The neurotransmitter dopamine plays a crucial role in human creative behaviour. Specifically, striatal dopamine seems to be associated with specific dimensions of divergent thinking performance, especially with the categorical diversity (flexibility) of the ideas. In the experimental context, spontaneous Eye Blink Rate (sEBR) has been used as a pro...

This theoretical article proposes a unified framework of analysis for the constructs of intelligence and creativity. General definitions for intelligence and creativity are provided, allowing fair comparisons between the two context-embedded constructs. A novel taxonomy is introduced to classify the contexts in which intelligent and/or creative beh...

Purpose: A higher creative potential has been reported in narcoleptic patients and linked to lucid dreaming. The aim of the present study was to explore the role of narcolepsy symptoms (presence and severity) in predicting creativity. Patients and methods: Sixty-six consecutive type 1 narcolepsy patients (mean age 38.62 ± 17.05, 31 females) took...

This article introduces a theoretical framework to conceptualize the dynamics of the phenomenon of creativity, which is then applied to the specific case of scientific missions for the exploration of the universe. Static definitions of creativity are insufficient for this purpose, as they fail to describe states of creative inconclusiveness as well...

Background and aims: The role of sleep on creative thinking has been supported by several studies, nevertheless only few studies investigated this relationship with respect to specific sleep stages (i.e. REM and NREM sleep). Narcolepsy type 1 (NT1) is a chronic neurological disorder characterized by hypersomnolence and untimely manifes- tations of...

Growing neurophysiological evidence points to a role of alpha oscillations in divergent thinking (DT). In particular, studies have shown a consistent EEG alpha synchronization during performance on the Alternative Uses Task (AUT), a well-established DT task. However, there is a need for investigating the brain dynamics underlying the production of...

In this article, the notion of potential as discussed within creativity research is examined. It is noted that there are multiple, sometimes competing, understandings of potential within the literature with the biggest gaps existing between individual perspectives, on the one hand, and sociocultural perspectives on the other. Affirming that a compr...

Computation sharing is one of the most promising services in fog computing allowing the Fog Nodes (FNs) to share among themselves data and tasks to be computed. In case of battery powered-FNs, energy consumption becomes an issue. Simultaneous Wireless Information and Power Transfer (SWIPT) is a recently introduced technology enabling data and power...

The Openness trait is a core dimension in the Big-Five model of personality. The relationship between Openness and creativity is discussed regarding creative potential versus achievement, self-assessed versus others-assessed measures, and implications for creative self-beliefs. Underlying mechanisms that justify the relationship between Openness an...

Este manifiesto, discutido por 20 académicos y académicas que representan diversas líneas de investigación sobre la creatividad, marca un cambio conceptual dentro de los estudios de este campo. Los enfoques socioculturales han hecho contribuciones sustanciales al concepto de creatividad en las últimas décadas y hoy pueden proporcionar un conjunto d...

The creativity of an advertisement campaign is one of the most relevant predictors of its success. Past research has highlighted the relevance of domain-specific experience in enhancing creativity, but the results are controversial. We explored the role of work experience, in terms of number of years spent in the advertisement domain, in various fo...

The interaction of emotions with creative cognition is one of the most intriguing topics in the creativity research. In this study, we investigated the extent to which various emotional states influence the evaluation of ideas, which is a crucial component of the creative thinking process. To this end, we used emotional (both positive and negative)...

The use of linear time-frequency representations as instantaneous frequency (IF) estimators arises in various fundamental disciplines, mainly thanks to their simplicity and immunity against interfering cross-terms. In this paper, we derive the optimal window width for IF estimation of noisy multicomponent signals based on a family of linear time-fr...

Jammers pose a threat to the reliability of satellite navigation systems. The vast majority of these devices generate broadband interference by rapidly sweeping wide bandwidths with continuous waves. Their waveforms fall into the set of non-stationary signals that can be conveniently analysed through time-frequency transforms. Based on a novel use...

Matlab codes to reproduce the results of our paper 'Controlled-coverage discrete S-transform (CC-DST): Theory and applications'.

Edge computing techniques allow to exploit the devices at the network borders for computing efforts in order to reduce the centralized cloud requests. A fog network is a feasible solution for implementing edge computing services. Within this scenario, the deployed Fog Nodes (FNs) are able to offload different portions of a single task to the availa...

Why are some individuals able to generate outstanding creative products despite repeated frustrating failures? This question has persisted across the centuries and deals with the nature of creativity itself. We hypothesize that the attitude characterizing how people experience and regulate their emotions (i.e., trait emotional intelligence; trait E...

A new method for nonparametric and adaptive instantaneous frequency (IF) estimation of monocomponent signals based on time-frequency distributions (TFDs) is presented. This method uses an estimate of the IF second-order derivative to approximate the width of the TFD observation window associated with the estimation least mean squared error (MSE), w...

The S-transform (ST) is a popular linear time-frequency (TF) transform with hybrid characteristics from the short-time Fourier transform (STFT) and the wavelet transform. It enables a multi-resolution TF analysis and returns globally referenced local phase information, but its expensive computational requirements often overshadow its other desirabl...

Creativity is a dynamic phenomenon (Corazza, GE. Creativity Research Journal, 28:258–267 (2016)). Indeed, change is central to creativity and results in new thoughts, actions, and products (Beghetto 2016). Moreover, there is an exploratory nature to the creative process, which blends both inconclusiveness and achievement. In this way, the trajector...

In this chapter we introduce the Dynamic Universal Creativity Process (DUCP), defined as the active ensemble of all creativity episodes in the evolution of our cosmos. It is shown how this construct descends naturally through a shift in the leading perspective in creativity studies: from a focus on static creative achievements to the consideration...

In reviewing the huge effort made by the psychological research in defining the main components of the creative process and of the creative potential, rarely we encounter models and theoretical frameworks considering emotional reactions as main determinants of the creative process, except of the widely and broadly defined concepts of motivation and...

The interactive relationship between the individual and the social constituents of the creative process emerges strongly during the evaluation of the outcomes of the process. In fact, the contrast with social and cultural norms depicting the originality and effectiveness of an idea brings into the creative process a high level of affective arousal,...

This edited volume provides a venue for scholars whose work challenges the typical, static conceptions and methods of studying creativity. More specifically, the book serves as an effort to introduce more dynamic definitions, conceptions, and approaches for studying creativity in the context of educational practice. By doing so, it feeds the strong...

Edge Computing refers to a recently introduced approach aiming to bring the storage and computational capabilities of the cloud to the proximity of the edge devices. Edge Computing is one of the main techniques enabling Fog Computing and Networking. Among several application scenarios , the urban scenario seems one of the most attractive for exploi...

Failures are a key concept in design thinking. They are discussed as a resource for learning, whereas fear of failure would be a major block to creative activity. We attempt to clarify the term by reconstructing "failures" as "inconclusive outcomes" in the Dynamic Creativity Framework. This includes a definition of key terms, the specification of h...

Drawing on the Dynamic Creativity Framework and Failure Theory, this paper explores what it means to advance domain knowledge with creative ambitions. Failures are analysed as an extraordinary resource in the search for radical innovation. Success-Failure Analysis is suggested as a methodological approach to advance domain knowledge based on outcom...

The S-transform (ST) is a linear time-frequency representation containing characteristics from the short-time Fourier transform and the wavelet transform with a frequency-dependent localizing window. As other linear time-frequency representations, one of the main applications of the ST is time-frequency filtering, which necessitates devising effici...

This chapter discusses the elements defining the creative thinking process within the scientific and engineering domains, in the light of the dynamic definition of creativity. Elements such as dynamism, time and space dependence, and the variables influencing the potential of the creative process in both realms are described. The contrast and co-ex...

Recent research on creative person has been enriched with a new perspective that brings together the study of brain functioning with the analysis of creative mind and creative behaviour. This chapter attempts to contribute to this effort, by reviewing the literature on brain activity and creativity, within the theoretical framework offered by the m...

The present study used a latent variable modelling approach to investigate the influence of motivation on creative achievement in different environments. This was used in conjunction and interaction with other creativity-related predictors, such as openness to new experience and response originality in a divergent thinking task. Specifically, the i...

This paper is motivated by the concept that the successful, effective, and sustainable implementation of the smart city paradigm requires a close cooperation among researchers with different, complementary interests and, in most cases, a multidisciplinary approach. It first briefly discusses how such a multidisciplinary methodology, transversal to...

The present article describes an innovative neurofeedback training (NFT) procedure aimed at increasing creative cognition through the enhancement of specific brain activities previously associated with divergent thinking. We designed and tested two NFT protocols based on training alpha and beta EEG oscillations selectively measured over the right p...

Even if mind wandering (MW) and mindfulness have traditionally been intended as separate and antithetical constructs, the roles of these 2 mental states on creative behavior were jointly explored in this article. In particular, MW was analyzed in light of a recent approach suggesting a differentiation between deliberate and spontaneous MW, whereas...

Fog computing is a fascinating paradigm which has drawn attention recently by bringing the cloud capabilities closer to the users. A fog computing infrastructure can be seen as composed by two layers: one including Fog Nodes (FNs) and another the Fog Access Points (F-APs). While FNs are usually battery operated, the F-APs are instead connected to t...

The editorial dwells upon the technology-driven evolution from the Industrial to the Post-Information Society, indicating that this transition will bring about drastic transformations in our way of living, starting from the job market and then pervading all aspects at both individual and social levels. Great opportunities will come together with un...

In Smart Grids (SG) scenarios, the different nodes composing the system have to communicate to the Control Stations several type of information with different requirements. There are many communication technologies (CTs), with different Quality of Service characteristics, able to support the SG communication requirements. By focusing on wireless co...

Intelligent metering systems are being rolled-out on a large-scale worldwide, enabling consumers to make informed choices about consumption patterns and energy saving, while supporting the development of new retail services and products. Unfortunately, the lack of established and shared international standards represents a serious hindrance to be o...

The increasing urbanization level of the world population has driven the development of a smart city geographic system, conceived as a fully connected wide area characterized by the presence of a multitude of smart devices, sensors, and processing nodes aimed at distributing intelligence into the city. At the same time, the pervasiveness of wireles...

In this chapter, in-depth analysis and comparison of the creativity and anticipation constructs are performed. At a first glance, it is immediately apparent that there are common grounds in these future goal-oriented behaviors, both pertaining to the realm of nonlinear dynamic systems and complexity. But their relationship turns out to be far from...

Design thinking is acknowledged as a thriving innovation practice plus something more, something in the line of a deep understanding of innovation processes. At the same time, quite how and why design thinking works—in scientific terms—appeared an open question at first. Over recent years, empirical research has achieved great progress in illuminat...

This paper describes a new method for the syn-chronisation of multiple low-cost open source software-defined radios (SDR). This solution enables the use of low-cost SDRs in interesting navigation applications, such as hybrid positioning algorithms, interference localisation, and cooperative positioning among others. Time synchronisation is achieved...

This paper presents a general framework for the analysis of dyadic cooperation of finite-state machines (FSMs) performing code acquisition, as applied to navigation and communication spread-spectrum systems. Our aim is to show how code acquisition performance can be improved by relying on the unidirectional or bidirectional exchange of timing infor...

Carrier-blind and non-data-aided recovery of the symbol timing is of paramount importance in digital receivers, that is, detailed knowledge about carrier frequency and phase or any pilot sequence is not necessary for proper operation. In this context, feedforward algorithms are particularly helpful in packet-oriented systems, where rapid and stable...

In this chapter, the teaching methodologies and pedagogical styles adopted within the “Creativity and Innovation”course, o ered at the University of Bologna in Italy are described. The main goal of the course is to give students both a theoretical foundation and a hands-on experience about meta-cognitive strategies for the control of the creative t...

Given the central role of creativity in the future post-information society, a call for a pragmatist approach to the study of creativity is advocated, that brings as a consequence the recognition of the dynamic nature of this phenomenon. At the foundation of the proposed new theoretical framework lies the definition of creativity itself, which is t...

Smart cities represent rich and dynamic environments in which a multitude of smart mobile devices (SMDs) interact among them by sharing data. SMDs require from fast access to online services, but they offer limited computing capabilities and battery lifetime. SMDs make frequent use of computation offloading, delegating computing-intensive tasks to...

This article presents the structure and the composition of a newly developed multifaceted test battery for the measurement of creativity within scientific and artistic domains. By integrating existing procedures for the evaluation of creativity, the new battery promises to become a comprehensive assessment of creativity, encompassing both domain-ge...

The evolutionary trends of the Information Society have lead to the definition of the so-called Smart City, an environment characterized by the interaction of several heterogeneous technologies aiming at providing unprecedented services and efficiency. The Smart City is one of the most challenging scenarios for the Internet of Things (IoT) applicab...

In this paper we generalize a framework previously presented for the analysis of dyadic cooperation of finite state machines (FSM) performing code acquisition. Our aim is to tackle the limitations of this framework making it more general, and suitable for larger range of applications. Moreover, we introduce in our paper new Bidirectional (BD) coope...

In this article, we describe the DIMAI model for creative thinking, which incorporates the introduction of irrelevant information in order to generate new ideas. The model is applied to the fashion design creativity context, considering both internal and eternal sources of motivation, requirements, and information, including customer needs, socio-...

The aim of this paper is to show that TRIZ is not an isolated theory, but a set of tools that can be interpreted in the light of general theoretical models for creativity. In fact, the numerous tools and strategies that TRIZ formulates can be seen as specific instances of the DIMAI model for the creative thinking process, which takes into account e...

5G communications will enable new paradigms architectures and services, and the integration of satellite and terrestrial networks can play a key role. Cognitive radios are seen as the most promising solution to dynamically cooperate, in order to exploit advanced frequency sharing techniques. To this end, efficient sensing techniques for spectrum aw...

This paper presents performance improvement techniques for the second-generation digital video broadcast return channel via satellite air interface, which can be used for supporting future demands for Tbit/s traffic requirements. In particular, we have investigated minimum-shift keying (MSK) type of continuous phase modulation (CPM) waveforms by co...

The last decade has been characterized by an increasing demand of higher throughput and more reliable communication links for supporting multimedia applications. To this aim, the focus has been toward both broadband and broadcast solutions providing multimedia services to mobile users. In order to exploit such advanced services, ubiquitous and effi...