Creativity relies on dynamic processing within the semantic network system; however, how this system varies under different cognitive strategies remains unclear. Grounded in the Associative Theory of Creativity, this study applied four cognitive strategies (application, analogy, abstraction, and combination) as distinct input constraints to the cognitive system. We tracked the N400 component using event-related potentials (ERPs), which capture brain activity time-locked to specific cognitive events. Specifically, the N400 serves as a reliable neural marker reflecting semantic mismatch and the integration of new information. Repeated-measures analysis of covariance (RM-ANCOVA) revealed that the abstraction strategy yielded the highest level of creativity, while the application strategy yielded the lowest. Neural data indicated that attenuated N400 amplitudes under the application strategy reflected minimal prediction errors within familiar conceptual spaces, whereas pronounced N400 amplitudes under abstraction and combination strategies represent substantial cognitive effort associated with feature extraction and concept integration. Subsequent linear mixed-effects model (LMM) analysis revealed that the N400 component exerted a significant negative moderating effect on individual creativity under the analogy strategy, establishing a boundary condition for transforming semantic updating into final creative output. By exploring associative processes through micro-neural mechanisms, this research provides practical insights for optimizing creative task design and evaluation structures.
Zhao et al. (2026) studied this question.