About this episode

Psychologist Ap Dijksterhuis discusses the hidden mental processes behind creativity and inspiration.

For centuries, people have described creativity as something mysterious: a flash of insight, a whisper from the muse, a sudden idea that seems to arrive out of nowhere. Psychologist Ap Dijksterhuis explores the hidden mental processes that lead to these moments of inspiration, and why breakthroughs often emerge when the mind is at rest.

People in this episode

Host: Shankar Vedantam

Guest: Ap Dijksterhuis

Topics covered

• creativity
• psychology
• mental processes
• inspiration
• breakthroughs

Keywords

• creativity
• inspiration
• psychology
• mental processes
• breakthroughs

More episodes of Hidden Brain

• Who Are You, Really? · June 8, 2026 · 1h 37m
• The Past is Never Dead · May 25, 2026 · 52 min
• The Empathy Gym · May 18, 2026 · 1h 29m

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Hidden Brain podcast page.