Towards a theory of human creativity sustained by embodied collective intelligence.
Frontiers in psychology January 1, 2026 Tatsuya Daikoku
Creativity in human societies may be sustained not by isolated minds but by embodied, collective intelligence. Using music as a model, this review argues that creativity depends on the dynamic tuning of uncertainty: moderate, time-varying surprise, often accompanied by interoceptive bodily sensations, can promote exploration, while interpersonal synchrony and social evaluation stabilize and transmit what is new. Because creativity is value-neutral, its social consequences depend on ethics, morality, and empathy.