ADD Or Something Else? Studies Reveal Creative Genius Linked To Being Easily Distracted

A study conducted last year by researchers at Northwestern University has linked creativity with an “inability to filter irrelevant sensory information,” with the startling implication being that those who have difficulty in shutting out sensory information while focusing on a specific task or creative project might, in fact, be showing signs of ‘genius.’
According to their press release, it’s the first physiological evidence that real-world creativity may be associated with a reduced ability to focus. Researchers describe how some people are more sensitive to the daily bombardment of sensory information, a phenomenon which they describe as “leaky” sensory filters:
“Leaky” sensory gating, the propensity to filter out “irrelevant” sensory information, happens early, and involuntarily, in brain processing and may help people integrate ideas that are outside of the focus of attention, leading to creativity in the real world.
– Darya Zabelina, Lead Author of the study

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