Virtual Reality and Creativity: How do Immersive Environments Stimulate the Brain during Creative Idea Generation?

Virtual Reality (VR) environments are promising creativity support tools that can be designed to enhance factors related to the creative process such as immersion, engagement, and flow. However, it is still unclear how brain responses associated with creativity are influenced by VR. To address this gap, we collected EEG signals from 21 participants during a creative idea generation task in two conditions; 2D Screen vs. 3D VR. The EEG power in the alpha (8-13 Hz), beta (13-30 Hz), and gamma (30-45 Hz) frequency bands were compared. The results showed that participants experienced higher enjoyment, immersion, and temporal dissociation in the 3D VR condition. Additionally, a significant increase of oscillations in the high-frequency bands of beta and gamma was observed in VR. The findings suggest that VR can induce a more pronounced sense of flow that is associated with distinct brain activation patterns.