Liane Gabora

Professor, Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia

Agent-based models, cognitive science, creative arts therapies, creative inspiration, creative process, creative style, creativity, cultural evolution, evolution

Media

Can quantum theory explain why jokes are funny?

What creativity really is - and why schools need it

Want to come up with a creative idea? Here’s how.

Three places to find colour during achromatic Regina winters

Are Accusations of Cultural Appropriation Misguided?

Biography

Liane Gabora is an Associate Professor of Psychology and creativity studies at the University of British Columbia. Her research, which employs both experimental studies with humans and computational models, has focused on creativity and how creative minds evolve over time as people adapt ideas to their own needs and tastes. In recent years, her emphasis has been shifting to the exploration of physical light as a metaphor for inner light (creative spark, ray of hope, light of my life…) using multidisciplinary methods that include fiction and interactive technologies. She has over 150 scholarly publications in a diverse range of journals including Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts, Journal of Mathematical Psychology, Topics in Cognitive Science, World Archaeology, Journal of Theoretical Biology, and Foundations of Physics, as well as book chapters, conference proceedings papers, and encyclopedia articles. She has obtained over one million dollars in research grants, and has given lectures worldwide. She is also a published fiction writer, co-owns a small mobile app company, and composes piano music. Current projects include a nonfiction book titled Dawn of the Creative Mind and a novel titled Quilandria.

Expertise

  • Agent-based models
  • Cognitive science
  • Creative arts therapies
  • Creative inspiration
  • Creative process
  • Creative style
  • Creativity
  • Cultural evolution
  • Evolution