Method for verifying intervention effect of creative thinking excitation on social common situation prejudice

Abstract

The invention discloses a method for verifying and stimulating an intervention effect of creative thinking on social common situation prejudice, and the method comprises the steps: dividing experiment objects into an experiment group and a control group, and designing a creative starting task for carrying out creative thinking activities for the experiment group; the experiment group executes at least two rounds of creativity starting tasks and forms creativity fluency and originality data of each test object; meanwhile, the test objects of the control group execute a control starting task of the same round, and the control starting task is an imitation activity without creative thinking; after the task is completed, neural activities of test objects of the experimental group and the control group are recorded through an electroencephalogram technology when the test objects watch the faces of the inner group and the outer group, brain wave characteristics related to social classification and estrus sharing are analyzed, and the social classification effect and the estrus sharing prejudice effect are measured; and forming an analysis report according to a measurement result. The method scientifically and objectively evaluates and stimulates the interference effect of creative thinking on social common situation prejudice.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of education and teaching, and in particular to a method for verifying the effectiveness of stimulating creative thinking in intervening in social empathy bias. Background Technology

[0002] Empathy is a crucial foundation for maintaining healthy relationships in social interactions. However, due to the existence of different group relationships, individuals often exhibit social biases when responding empathetically to others. Research shows that people tend to show stronger empathy towards members of their own group (in-group) and less empathy towards members of out-groups. This phenomenon is known as in-group bias in empathy, and its root cause may lie in individuals automatically categorizing others' faces as either in-group or out-group members, i.e., the social categorization effect. Reducing this empathy bias plays a vital role in maintaining harmonious social relationships. Currently, interventions used to reduce empathy bias mainly include: changing social relationships, exposing to out-groups, and individualized training. Changing social relationships involves incorporating members who originally belonged to the out-group into the in-group through certain rules; exposing to out-groups involves increasing opportunities and experiences of social interaction with out-group members; and individualized training involves increasing familiarity with out-group members through observation.

[0003] Existing research indicates that individuals with high levels of creativity typically possess strong divergent thinking abilities, a high degree of self-awareness, and unique, personalized thinking styles. These individuals tend to perceive themselves and others from an independent perspective, rather than simply categorizing them into a particular group. This contrasts sharply with the social categorization effect, which emphasizes a group perspective. Based on this theory, verifying whether stimulating individual creative thinking can effectively offset the social categorization effect and thus significantly weaken the empathy bias it induces has become a research topic. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide a method for verifying the effectiveness of stimulating creative thinking in intervening in social empathy bias.

[0005] The technical solution adopted in this invention is: A method for verifying the effectiveness of interventions that stimulate creative thinking on social empathy bias includes the following steps: Step 1: Randomly divide the experimental subjects into experimental and control groups, and design diverse creative priming tasks for the experimental groups; test subjects engage in creative thinking activities through creative priming tasks, and both the experimental and control groups include more than two groups; Step 2: Before the experimental and control groups complete the initiation task, the neural activity of the test subjects in the experimental and control groups when viewing in-group and out-group faces is recorded by electroencephalography (EEG) technology. The EEG characteristics related to social categorization and empathy are analyzed to measure the social categorization effect and empathy bias effect, which serves as baseline data before intervention. Step 3: The test subjects in the experimental group performed at least two rounds of creative priming tasks, and a psychology expert evaluated the originality of the test subjects during creative thinking activities, forming creative fluency and originality data for each test subject; at the same time, the test subjects in the control group performed the same number of rounds of control priming tasks as the experimental group. The control priming tasks were imitation activities that did not require creative thinking. Step 4: After the experimental and control groups completed the creative priming and control priming tasks respectively, the neural activities of the test subjects in the experimental and control groups were recorded again using electroencephalography (EEG) technology when viewing the faces of in-groups and out-groups. The EEG characteristics related to social categorization and empathy were analyzed as data after the intervention. In-group refers to the group that is related to the test subject, and out-group refers to the group that is not related to the test subject. Specifically, the group in which a person frequently participates or lives, works, or engages in other activities is called the "in-group," while the group formed by others and having no relation to oneself is the "out-group."

[0006] Step 5: Based on the measurement results, generate an analysis report on the intervention effect of stimulating creative thinking on social empathy bias. If the experimental group in the creative priming experiment shows a significant reduction in empathy bias in the measured indicators, and the control group does not show a reduction effect, then the priming of creative thinking has a specific effect on reducing empathy bias.

[0007] Furthermore, the creative initiation tasks in step 1 include brainstorming, association tests, and theme creation tasks.

[0008] Furthermore, as a preferred implementation method, the creative activation task in step 1 is presented and executed through an immersive creative thinking stimulation system based on virtual reality (VR) technology; a highly realistic immersive scene is built using high-resolution virtual reality (VR) technology, and open interactive tasks are carefully designed within the virtual scene to fully mobilize the divergent thinking and innovation ability of the subjects through task-driven approaches.

[0009] Furthermore, the immersive creative thinking stimulation system based on virtual reality (VR) technology seamlessly integrates a real-time electroencephalogram (EEG) monitoring module to continuously capture brain activity signals of subjects during task execution in the virtual environment. It focuses on analyzing changes in the alpha and beta wave frequency bands, which are closely related to creative thinking. Through an algorithm model, the EEG data is transformed into real-time feedback indicators, such as the creative thinking activity index. When a decline in the subject's thinking activity is detected, the system automatically adjusts the difficulty of the virtual environment task, scene elements, or provides guidance prompts, thereby realizing a personalized and dynamic creative thinking stimulation process and significantly improving the efficiency and effectiveness of stimulation.

[0010] Furthermore, as a preferred and feasible implementation method, when designing tasks for the experimental group in step 1, social situation simulation tasks are introduced to weaken the social categorization bias. This includes designing cross-group cooperative tasks, adopting role-playing methods, and using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) technology to observe changes in neural activity.

[0011] Specifically, this involves a social categorization tendency intervention system that combines social situation simulation with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Through multi-dimensional social situation simulation and fMRI neuroimaging analysis, it achieves targeted intervention and in-depth exploration of the mechanisms of social categorization tendencies, thus compensating for the shortcomings of basic programs in social cognitive intervention.

[0012] Furthermore, in step 2, the creative activation task requires test subjects to use the given materials to combine ideas and name new objects to the maximum extent within a specified time. A psychology expert then evaluates the originality of each created object, forming data on the creativity fluency and originality of each test subject. Meanwhile, test subjects in the control group perform the same rounds of the control activation task as the experimental group. The control activation task requires test subjects to replicate and construct an object identical to the given object within a specified time.

[0013] Furthermore, the materials given in step 3 include a specified number of magnetic balls and magnetic rods, which are connected and separated in different directions. For example, as a feasible implementation, there are 30 magnetic balls and 20 magnetic rods.

[0014] Further, in step 3, the test subjects in the experimental group conceived new objects, took photos, and recorded the number of objects created.

[0015] Furthermore, in step 3, based on the analysis results of each test subject's creativity fluency and originality data in the current round, the experimental group dynamically adjusted the difficulty, training duration, and training method of the creative initiation task for each test subject in the next round; specifically, the method is as follows: If the number of objects created by a test subject is lower than the group average and the originality score of the objects is lower than the group average, the difficulty and training time of the next round of creative initiation task for the corresponding test subject will be increased, and targeted inspiration and guidance will be provided during the task. Specifically, when test subjects have significant room for improvement in creative thinking, the difficulty and training time of subsequent divergent thinking tasks can be increased. For example, more complex thematic creation tasks can be introduced, the training time can be extended to 45 minutes, and targeted inspiration and guidance can be provided during the task, such as providing relevant case references and posing open-ended questions to stimulate thinking.

[0016] If a test subject creates more objects than the group average, but their originality score is lower than the group average, then the test subject should be guided to break through fixed mindsets in the next round of creative initiation tasks. For example, reverse thinking training and multi-angle association training can be conducted to help them improve the depth and uniqueness of their creative thinking.

[0017] This invention, through this data-driven personalized intervention, enables participants of different levels to more effectively stimulate creative thinking, thereby achieving better intervention results in observing empathy bias.

[0018] Furthermore, as a preferred implementation, step 3 involves developing a mobile application to enable routine testing experiments, including integrating task push, social sharing, and data recording and analysis functions, and combining wearable devices to monitor EEG activity in real time to adjust the task difficulty.

[0019] Furthermore, in step 2 or 4, the social categorization effect of the population is measured using the repetition inhibition paradigm, which includes repetition conditions and transformation conditions. The neural activity indicators of the test subjects are obtained when the faces of the same group (e.g., East Asian or Caucasian population) are presented continuously in the repetition condition, and when the faces of different groups are presented alternately in the transformation condition. The amplitude data of P2 and N2 components in the EEG features are used as objective electrophysiological indicators reflecting the social categorization effect.

[0020] Furthermore, in step 2 or 4, the degree of bias in empathy is measured through an expression judgment task. The method is as follows: the test subject is asked to view facial stimuli of neutral and painful expressions of East Asian or Caucasian models, and to perform a population judgment task for each face, that is, to judge whether the face belongs to East Asian or Caucasian population; at the same time, the amplitude data of the P2 component in the EEG characteristics of the test subject (individual) when unconsciously responding to the empathic reaction of painful facial expressions are measured and analyzed, and the amplitude data of the P2 component is used as an objective electrophysiological indicator reflecting the degree of bias in empathy.

[0021] The present invention adopts the above technical solution and has the following beneficial effects: (1) Standard and objective: The use of electroencephalography (EEG) technology to measure social categorization tendency and empathy bias effectively avoids the interference of subjective factors of the subjects and ensures the scientificity and accuracy of the measurement results. (2) Simple and effective: By designing creative activating tasks, such as using magnetic balls and magnetic rods to create, the operation method is simple, but it can significantly stimulate individual creative thinking and thus effectively reduce empathy bias. (3) Low cost: Only simple materials such as common magnetic balls and magnetic rods are needed to stimulate creative thinking, which greatly reduces the intervention cost. (4) Large scale of creative thinking intervention: It is not limited by the scale of application. Whether it is a small-scale individual intervention or a large-scale group application, it can be effectively implemented. (5) Wide range of applications: By stimulating creative thinking through testing, it can weaken social categorization tendency and reduce empathy bias of various out-groups. It has a wide range of applications and is not limited to specific groups. Attached Figure Description

[0022] The present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments; Figure 1 This is a flowchart illustrating a method for verifying the intervention effect of stimulating creative thinking on social empathy bias according to the present invention. Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the principle architecture of a method for verifying the intervention effect of stimulating creative thinking on social empathy bias according to the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of empathy bias measurement according to the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0023] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of this application clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0024] like Figures 1 to 3 As shown in the first example, this invention discloses a method for verifying the intervention effect of stimulating creative thinking on social empathy bias. The key steps are: (1) stimulating creative thinking: designing and implementing a series of tasks or training aimed at improving the individual's creative thinking level; (2) measuring social categorization tendency and empathy bias: using electroencephalography (EEG) technology to scientifically and objectively assess the changes in the subjects' social categorization tendency and empathy bias; (3) verifying the intervention effect: verifying the influence of social categorization effect on empathy bias through experiments, and proving the effectiveness of creative thinking intervention. This invention specifically includes the following steps: Step 1: Randomly divide the experimental subjects into experimental and control groups, and design diverse creative priming tasks for the experimental groups; test subjects engage in creative thinking activities through creative priming tasks, and both the experimental and control groups include more than two groups; Step 2: Before the experimental and control groups complete the initiation task, the neural activity of the test subjects in the experimental and control groups when viewing in-group and out-group faces is recorded by electroencephalography (EEG) technology. The EEG characteristics related to social categorization and empathy are analyzed to measure the social categorization effect and empathy bias effect, which serves as baseline data before intervention. Step 3: The test subjects in the experimental group performed at least two rounds of creative priming tasks, and a psychology expert evaluated the originality of the test subjects during creative thinking activities, forming creative fluency and originality data for each test subject; at the same time, the test subjects in the control group performed the same number of rounds of control priming tasks as the experimental group. The control priming tasks were imitation activities that did not require creative thinking. Step 4: After the experimental and control groups completed the creative priming and controlled priming tasks respectively, the neural activity of the test subjects in both groups was recorded again using electroencephalography (EEG) when viewing the faces of in-groups and out-groups. The EEG characteristics related to social categorization and empathy were analyzed as post-intervention data. The group in which an individual frequently participates, lives, works, or engages in other activities is called the "in-group," while groups formed by others and unrelated to the individual are called the "out-group." The experimental procedure included three measurement phases: "pre-priming → creative thinking priming / controlled priming → post-priming."

[0025] Step 5: Based on the measurement results, generate an analysis report on the intervention effect of stimulating creative thinking on social empathy bias. If the experimental group in the creative priming experiment shows a significant reduction in empathy bias in the measured indicators, and the control group does not show a reduction effect, then the priming of creative thinking has a specific effect on reducing empathy bias.

[0026] Furthermore, the creative initiation tasks in step 1 include brainstorming, association tests, and theme creation tasks.

[0027] Furthermore, as a preferred implementation method, the creative activation task in step 1 is presented and executed through an immersive creative thinking stimulation system based on virtual reality (VR) technology. By deeply integrating VR technology with EEG monitoring, an immersive and dynamic creative thinking stimulation environment is constructed, breaking through the spatial and sensory limitations of traditional tasks and achieving quantitative evaluation and precise control of the stimulation effect.

[0028] In the core step of "stimulating creative thinking," high-resolution virtual reality (VR) technology is innovatively introduced to build highly realistic immersive scenarios. Diverse virtual environments are created using professional modeling software, such as fantastical art creation spaces and forward-looking future city planning models, providing participants with imaginative spaces that transcend the boundaries of reality. Within these virtual scenarios, carefully designed open-ended interactive tasks are employed. For example, participants are asked to create unique sculptures using virtual materials in a virtual art space, or solve complex problems such as traffic congestion and resource allocation in future city planning. This task-driven approach fully mobilizes participants' divergent thinking and innovative abilities.

[0029] Meanwhile, the immersive creative thinking stimulation system based on virtual reality (VR) technology can seamlessly integrate a real-time electroencephalogram (EEG) monitoring module. Utilizing high-precision EEG acquisition equipment, it continuously captures brain activity signals during the subject's performance of tasks in the virtual environment, focusing on analyzing changes in the alpha and beta wave frequency bands closely related to creative thinking. Through an algorithmic model, the EEG data is transformed into real-time feedback indicators, such as a creative thinking activity index. When a decline in the subject's thinking activity is detected, the system automatically adjusts the difficulty of the virtual environment task, scene elements, or provides guidance prompts, achieving a personalized and dynamic creative thinking stimulation process, significantly improving stimulation efficiency and effectiveness.

[0030] Furthermore, as a preferred and feasible implementation method, when designing tasks for the experimental group in step 1, social situation simulation tasks are introduced to weaken the social categorization bias. This includes designing cross-group cooperative tasks, adopting role-playing methods, and using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) technology to observe changes in neural activity.

[0031] Specifically, this involves a social categorization tendency intervention system that combines social situation simulation with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Through multi-dimensional social situation simulation and fMRI neuroimaging analysis, it achieves targeted intervention and in-depth exploration of the mechanisms of social categorization tendencies, thus compensating for the shortcomings of basic programs in social cognitive intervention.

[0032] Building upon the foundation of "stimulating creative thinking," a new social situation simulation task module has been added, employing multimodal interactive design to enhance the intervention effect on social categorization biases. A series of cross-group collaborative tasks are designed, such as organizing virtual role-playing teams with different cultural backgrounds and professional identities to jointly complete challenging creative tasks like product design and crisis management. This collaborative process breaks down participants' preconceived group categorization perceptions, promoting understanding and integration among individuals with different groups. Role-playing techniques are introduced to allow participants to deeply experience diverse social identities. For example, by simulating life scenarios and work situations of different genders, groups, and social classes, stereotypes about specific groups are reduced from both emotional resonance and cognitive reconstruction perspectives.

[0033] Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to dynamically monitor the neural activity of participants during task execution across the entire brain with high spatiotemporal resolution. The focus was on observing activation changes in brain regions related to social cognition and group categorization, such as the default mode network and the prefrontal cortex. By comparing fMRI images before and after the intervention, the degree of reduction in social categorization bias was precisely quantified, providing a solid neuroscientific basis for evaluating the intervention's effectiveness. Furthermore, the neural mechanisms underlying the intervention were revealed, facilitating further optimization and iteration of the program.

[0034] Furthermore, in step 3, the creative activation task requires test subjects to use the given materials to combine ideas and name new objects to the maximum extent within a specified time. A psychology expert then evaluates the originality of each created object, forming data on the creativity fluency and originality of each test subject. Meanwhile, test subjects in the control group perform the same rounds of the control activation task as the experimental group. The control activation task requires test subjects to replicate and construct an object identical to the given object within a specified time.

[0035] Furthermore, the materials given in step 3 include a specified number of magnetic balls and magnetic rods, which are connected and separated in different directions. For example, as a feasible implementation, there are 30 magnetic balls and 20 magnetic rods.

[0036] Further, in step 3, the test subjects in the experimental group conceived new objects, took photos, and recorded the number of objects created.

[0037] Furthermore, in step 3, based on the analysis results of each test subject's creativity fluency and originality data in the current round, the experimental group dynamically adjusted the difficulty, training duration, and training method of the creative initiation task for each test subject in the next round; specifically, the method is as follows: If the number of objects created by a test subject is lower than the group average and the originality score of the objects is lower than the group average, the difficulty and training time of the next round of creative initiation task for the corresponding test subject will be increased, and targeted inspiration and guidance will be provided during the task. Specifically, when test subjects have significant room for improvement in creative thinking, the difficulty and training time of subsequent divergent thinking tasks can be increased. For example, more complex thematic creation tasks can be introduced, the training time can be extended to 45 minutes, and targeted inspiration and guidance can be provided during the task, such as providing relevant case references and posing open-ended questions to stimulate thinking.

[0038] If a test subject creates more objects than the group average, but their originality score is lower than the group average, then the test subject should be guided to break through fixed mindsets in the next round of creative initiation tasks. For example, reverse thinking training and multi-angle association training can be conducted to help them improve the depth and uniqueness of their creative thinking.

[0039] This invention, through this data-driven personalized intervention, enables participants of different levels to more effectively stimulate creative thinking, thereby achieving better intervention results in observing empathy bias.

[0040] Furthermore, as a preferred implementation, step 3 involves developing a mobile application to enable routine testing experiments, including integrating task push, social sharing, and data recording and analysis functions, and combining wearable devices to monitor EEG activity in real time to adjust the task difficulty.

[0041] Specifically, a daily intelligent intervention platform integrating mobile internet and wearable devices will be built to transform professional creative initiation task solutions into convenient and personalized daily applications. Leveraging mobile internet and wearable devices, interventions will be normalized and made more intelligent, expanding the scope of technology application and the user base. A multi-functional mobile application will be developed to deeply integrate creative thinking intervention solutions into daily life scenarios. The application will include a built-in intelligent task recommendation system that accurately pushes diverse creative tasks daily based on user information, usage habits, and EEG monitoring data, covering various forms such as drawing, creative writing, and brainstorming games, ensuring that task difficulty dynamically matches user abilities. A social interaction module will support users in sharing creative results, participating in cross-group thematic discussions and collaborative challenges, enhancing user engagement and sustainability through social incentive mechanisms.

[0042] By combining portable wearable devices, such as highly integrated EEG headbands, real-time, non-invasive monitoring of users' brain activity can be achieved. The application has a built-in data analysis engine that quickly processes and intelligently analyzes the collected EEG data, assessing the user's creative thinking state and empathy bias level in real time.

[0043] Furthermore, in step 2 or 4, the social categorization effect of the population is measured using the repetition inhibition paradigm, which includes repetition conditions and transformation conditions. The neural activity indicators of the test subjects are obtained when the faces of the same group (e.g., East Asian or Caucasian population) are presented continuously in the repetition condition, and when the faces of different groups are presented alternately in the transformation condition. The amplitude data of P2 and N2 components in the EEG features are used as objective electrophysiological indicators reflecting the social categorization effect.

[0044] Furthermore, in step 2 or 4, the degree of bias in empathy is measured through an expression judgment task. The method involves having test subjects view neutral and painful facial stimuli from models of East Asian or Caucasian populations, and then performing a population judgment task for each face, identifying whether it belongs to East Asian or Caucasian populations. Simultaneously, the amplitude data of the P2 component in the electroencephalogram (EEG) is measured and analyzed during the unconscious empathic response to painful facial expressions. This P2 component amplitude data is used as an objective electrophysiological indicator reflecting the degree of bias in empathy. The purpose of this task is to measure the unconscious empathic response of test subjects to painful facial expressions, and by comparing the differences in empathic responses to painful facial expressions from the two groups, social bias in empathy can be measured.

[0045] Specifically, EEG data were analyzed using EEGLAB software and a custom MATLAB script. For offline processing, the EEG data were rereferenced to the average values ​​of the left and right mastoid electrodes (TP9 and TP10) and then filtered using a bandpass filter of 1–40 Hz. Bad channels were interpolated before independent component analysis (ICA) using the “pop_interp” function in EEGLAB. The ICLabel plugin was used to remove ICA components associated with muscle and eye movement artifacts. ERPs were averaged offline for each experimental condition, with the time window set from 200 ms before stimulation onset to 1,200 ms after. Trials with noise exceeding ±100 μV at any electrode were excluded from the averaging calculation. The baseline for ERP measurements was the average voltage over 200 ms before stimulation, with latency measured relative to stimulation onset.

[0046] This invention focuses on analyzing electroencephalogram (EEG) data to verify the hypothesis that creative thinking can reduce empathic bias and the EEG indicators of out-group-related repetition inhibition effects in facial nerve responses. The data analysis compares the data from the creative priming group and the control group. Professional statistical analysis methods, such as two-way ANOVA, are used to process the EEG characteristic data (e.g., N170, P200) related to social categorization and empathy in both groups, exploring the differences in the effects of the creative thinking priming task and the control priming procedure on participants' social categorization tendency and empathic bias. If the creative thinking priming group shows a significant weakening effect on empathic bias in relevant indicators, while the control group does not show a similar effect, it verifies that creative thinking priming has a specific effect on reducing empathic bias, further enhancing the reliability and scientific validity of the research conclusions of this invention.

[0047] (1) Quantifying the empathy bias effect: Based on the study of the neural mechanisms of empathy, this invention uses a social category judgment task to quantify the social empathy bias effect. Taking the empathy bias of the population as an example, each EEG recording in this experiment contains four run units to systematically examine the neural response specificity in the perception of facial expressions in the population. Each run consists of 4 stimulus blocks, and each block contains 16 visual stimulus trials. The procedure for a single trial is as follows: First, a fixation cross is presented in the center of a gray background for 1000ms; then, the target face stimulus is presented, with the expression type divided into neutral and painful, and the stimulus presentation time is 200ms. After the stimulus fades, the fixation cross is presented again, and its duration varies randomly within the range of 800-1400ms to eliminate the time expectation effect. All stimuli are observed at a distance of 80cm to form a 4°×5° retinal imaging angle. Participants were required to perform a population classification task, which involved rapidly pressing keys on a keyboard to indicate the population category (East Asian / Caucasian) of a presented face, while minimizing reaction time while maintaining accuracy.

[0048] Based on neuroimaging research, this invention selects ERP components sensitive to face processing for analysis. The N1 component, as an indicator of early perceptual processing, has its average amplitude measured at the central frontal electrode sites (Fz, FCz, F3, F4, FC3, FC4, Cz, C3, C4), reflecting the initial encoding process of facial structural features. The P2 and N2 components, as indicators of intermediate cognitive processing, have their average amplitude measured at the central frontal electrode sites (Fz, F1, F2, FCz, FC1, FC2), and are closely related to attentional allocation and categorization evaluation of emotional information.

[0049] Based on consensus in cognitive neuroscience, this invention quantifies empathic neural responses as an enhancement of P2 amplitude in response to painful (compared to neutral) faces. This quantification is based on the fact that the P2 component has been widely demonstrated in emotional empathy research to be associated with early emotional sharing processes in the perception of pain in others. Furthermore, empathic bias (RBE) is operationalized as a stronger P2 response to painful (compared to neutral) expressions in Asians than in Caucasian faces. This operationalized definition effectively captures the differences in neural responses to pain among different population groups, providing objective electrophysiological indicators for subsequent intervention effect evaluation.

[0050] To verify the impact of creative thinking intervention on empathy bias, this invention designed a three-factor repeated measures ANOVA. Using facial expression (painful vs. neutral), population group (East Asian vs. Caucasian faces), and priming (before vs. after intervention) as within-subjects variables, the mean P2 amplitude at the central frontal electrode was statistically analyzed. This analytical strategy systematically examines changes in the neural response patterns of participants to emotional stimuli from different population groups before and after the intervention, focusing on the interaction of the three factors of facial expression × population × priming, to reveal whether creative thinking specifically weakens differences in empathy among different population groups.

[0051] (2) Quantifying the Group Classification Effect: Based on the study of the neural mechanisms of group cognition, this invention uses the Repetition Stimulus (RS) paradigm to quantify the group classification effect. Taking social classification of populations as an example, the social classification effect of populations is measured using the effective repetition suppression paradigm. The principle of this paradigm lies in the repetition suppression effect in neuroscience, that is, when a certain type of stimulus is repeatedly presented, the brain's response to the stimulus gradually weakens. In the repetition suppression paradigm, there are two experimental conditions, including the repetition condition and the transformation condition. In the repetition condition, visual stimuli of the same social group category are presented continuously. For example, in an experimental sequence, all faces are from the same population or group (such as East Asian faces), and these faces appear continuously in time ([A, A, A, A, ...], where A represents faces of the same social group), and the time interval (ISI) between stimuli is controlled between 500 and 1500 milliseconds; in the transformation condition, visual stimuli of different social group categories are presented randomly and alternately ([B, C, C, B, ...], where B and C represent faces of different social groups respectively). For example, in another experimental sequence, faces from two different populations or groups (e.g., East Asian and Caucasian faces) were presented alternately, with the inter-stimulus interval (ISI) controlled between 500 and 1500 milliseconds. Each image stimulus was presented for 200 milliseconds. Participants were asked to complete a task unrelated to social categorization (e.g., a one-back task, judging the immediate appearance of repeating faces) to avoid active strategies interfering with the automatic classification process.

[0052] The EEG recording session consists of four runs, designed to systematically explore the repetition inhibition (RS) effect associated with social categorization. This effect is deeply linked to the neural activity representation of faces within the same and different population groups at the level of intra-population similarity. Each run contains eight blocks, and each block covers 18 trials, including 16 non-target faces and 2 target faces (i.e., repeated faces in a one-back task, where participants are required to press buttons to respond to the faces according to the task requirements). Each trial followed a standardized procedure: In the initial phase, a gaze cross was presented in the center of a gray background for 1000 milliseconds; then, a face image with a viewing angle of 4◦×5◦ (measured at a viewing distance of 80 cm) was presented in the center of the screen for a precisely controlled duration of 200 milliseconds; after the face disappeared, the gaze cross reappeared, with its duration randomly varying between 250 and 550 milliseconds. Participants were required to perform a "one-back task," that is, to make a rapid and accurate key press response immediately when the same face was recognized in two consecutive trials. Each block had 1-2 target trials for response ability testing, with an 8-second rest period between adjacent blocks, during which the number "8" at the gaze position was gradually decreased to "1" at 1-second intervals to help participants adjust their state. Each run contains four repeat condition blocks and four variation condition blocks. The repeat condition blocks are further subdivided, with two blocks each for faces from the same population and different populations, presented in a random order. Within the variation condition blocks, faces from the same population and different populations are presented in equal numbers, alternating randomly. This sophisticated design ensures that the number of non-target trials for faces from the same population and different populations is completely consistent under both alternating and repeat experimental conditions, effectively controlling for variable interference. Before each EEG recording begins, participants complete 20 trials as a pre-experiment practice; all stimuli are standardized and precisely presented using Presentation software. To avoid potential interference from active cognitive strategies in the automatic classification process, this experiment required participants to perform a "one-back task," a task unrelated to social classification. The core logic of this experimental paradigm is that if participants successfully categorize stimuli into the same category under repeated conditions, completing the social classification process, the intensity of neural activity induced by stimuli of the same type under repeated conditions will be significantly lower than the intensity of neural activity induced by stimuli under changed conditions. This difference in neural activity intensity will serve as a core and key measurement indicator for quantifying the social classification effect, providing objective and reliable data support for research on the neural mechanisms of group cognition.

[0053] Previous studies have shown that repeated presentation of the same category of stimuli can induce neural adaptation, manifested as a decrease in the amplitude of ERP components. This effect is known as category-related repetition suppression in the field of group cognition. Specifically, the RS effect mainly affects the P2 amplitude of faces in the external group, reflecting the automated process of early classification; while for faces in the same group, it mainly affects the N2 amplitude, reflecting the controlled processing of later fine classification.

[0054] To verify whether creative thinking intervention reduces population-based group classification effects, this invention designed a three-factor repeated measures ANOVA. Condition (repeated vs. alternating presentation), population (East Asian vs. Caucasian faces), and priming (pre-intervention vs. post-intervention) were used as within-subjects variables, and the amplitudes of P2 (for out-group faces) and N2 (for in-group faces) were statistically analyzed separately. This disjunctive analysis strategy can accurately capture the impact of creative thinking intervention on different stages of group classification. It was expected that after the intervention, the P2 repetition inhibition effect on out-group faces would weaken, and the N2 repetition inhibition effect on in-group faces would also weaken accordingly, indicating that creative thinking reduces population-based automatic and fine-grained classification processes.

[0055] To avoid the significant but spurious influence that multiple comparisons might have on ERP amplitude, the average P2 amplitude of the central frontal electrode cluster was calculated. To mitigate bias caused by the selection of the ERP amplitude measurement time window, ERP values ​​under different conditions were first averaged, and then the measurement time window for the average P2 amplitude was determined based on the time points of these averaged ERP values ​​and the scalp distribution. The P2 peak latency ± half-width at half-maximum (30 ms for the P2 component) was defined as the time window for measuring the average P2 amplitude.

[0056] In addition, to assess the null outcome in behavioral performance and ERP amplitude, Bayesian factor analysis was performed using repeated measures ANOVA and paired t-tests. Bayesian factors were calculated using the anovaBF and ttestBF functions from the BayesFactor package in the Rv.3.5.1 program (www.r-project.org). Bayesian factors measure the degree of support of the alternative model compared to the null hypothesis model.

[0057] In summary, the experimental results show that stimulating creative thinking can significantly reduce participants' social categorization bias, thereby effectively weakening empathy bias. This demonstrates that traditional interventions to reduce empathy bias, such as increasing social interaction between individuals and outgroup members, are not only difficult to implement but also fail to address the root causes of social bias, resulting in limited intervention effects. This invention, however, first rigorously verifies the necessity of social categorization in addressing empathy bias through experiments, and then directly addresses the social categorization effect by stimulating creative thinking, thereby weakening empathy bias at its source. The implementation process is simple and the results are significant. Regarding measurement methods, traditional methods often employ behavioral measurements, which are highly subjective. This invention utilizes electroencephalography (EEG) technology to scientifically and objectively measure participants' social categorization bias and empathy bias, ensuring the accuracy and reliability of the research results.

[0058] The verification scheme of this invention proves the following logical chain: (1) Social classification effect is an important factor leading to empathy bias; (2) Creative thinking can weaken the social classification effect; (3) By stimulating creative thinking, empathy bias can be indirectly reduced.

[0059] The present invention adopts the above technical solution and has the following beneficial effects: (1) Standard and objective: The use of electroencephalography (EEG) technology to measure social categorization tendency and empathy bias effectively avoids the interference of subjective factors of the subjects and ensures the scientificity and accuracy of the measurement results. (2) Simple and effective: By designing creative activating tasks, such as using magnetic balls and magnetic rods to create, the operation is simple, but it can significantly stimulate individual creative thinking and thus effectively reduce empathy bias. (3) Low cost: Only simple materials such as common magnetic balls and magnetic rods are needed to stimulate creative thinking, which greatly reduces the cost of intervention. (4) Large scale of intervention: It is not limited by the scale of application. Whether it is a small-scale individual intervention or a large-scale group application, it can be effectively implemented. (5) Wide range of applications: By weakening social categorization tendency, it can weaken the empathy bias of various out-groups. It has a wide range of applications and is not limited to specific groups.

[0060] Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this application, not all of them. Without conflict, the embodiments and features in the embodiments of this application can be combined with each other. The components of the embodiments of this application described and illustrated herein can generally be arranged and designed in various different configurations. Therefore, the detailed description of the embodiments of this application is not intended to limit the scope of the claimed application, but merely to illustrate selected embodiments of this application. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this application without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

Claims

1. A method for verifying the intervention effect of stimulating creative thinking on social empathy bias, characterized in that: It includes the following steps: Step 1: Randomly divide the experimental subjects into experimental and control groups, and design diverse creative priming tasks for the experimental group; test subjects engage in creative thinking activities through creative priming tasks. Step 2: Before the experimental and control groups complete the initiation task, the neural activity of the test subjects in the experimental and control groups when viewing in-group and out-group faces is recorded by electroencephalography (EEG) technology. The EEG characteristics related to social categorization and empathy are analyzed to measure the social categorization effect and empathy bias effect, which serves as baseline data before intervention. Step 3: The test subjects in the experimental group performed at least two rounds of creative priming tasks, and a psychology expert evaluated the originality of the test subjects during creative thinking activities, forming creative fluency and originality data for each test subject; at the same time, the test subjects in the control group performed the same number of rounds of control priming tasks as the experimental group. The control priming tasks were imitation activities that did not require creative thinking. Step 4: After the experimental group and the control group completed the creative priming and control priming tasks respectively, the neural activities of the test subjects in the experimental group and the control group were recorded again by electroencephalography (EEG) when they viewed the faces of the in-group and the out-group. The EEG characteristics related to social categorization and empathy were analyzed as data after the intervention. In the in-group, the in-group refers to the group that is related to the test subject, and the out-group refers to the group that is not related to the test subject. Step 5: Based on the measurement results, generate an analysis report on the intervention effect of stimulating creative thinking on social empathy bias. When the test subjects in the experimental group show a significant weakening effect on empathy bias in the measurement indicators in the creative priming experiment, and the control group experiment does not show a weakening effect, it verifies that creative thinking priming has a specific effect on reducing empathy bias.

2. The method for verifying the intervention effect of stimulating creative thinking on social empathy bias according to claim 1, characterized in that: The creative initiation tasks in step 1 include brainstorming, association tests, and theme creation tasks.

3. The method for verifying the intervention effect of stimulating creative thinking on social empathy bias according to claim 1, characterized in that: The creative activation task in step 1 is presented and executed through an immersive creative thinking stimulation system based on virtual reality (VR) technology. A highly realistic immersive scene is built using high-resolution VR technology, and open-ended interactive tasks are carefully designed within the virtual scene to fully mobilize the divergent thinking and innovation ability of the participants through task-driven approaches.

4. The method for verifying the intervention effect of stimulating creative thinking on social empathy bias according to claim 3, characterized in that: The immersive creative thinking stimulation system based on virtual reality (VR) technology seamlessly integrates a real-time electroencephalogram (EEG) monitoring module. It continuously captures brain activity signals of subjects during the execution of tasks in the virtual environment. Through an algorithm model, the EEG data is converted into a real-time feedback creative thinking activity index. When a decline in the subject's thinking activity is detected, the system automatically adjusts the difficulty of the virtual environment task, scene elements, or provides guidance prompts.

5. The method for verifying the intervention effect of stimulating creative thinking on social empathy bias according to claim 1, characterized in that: In step 1, when designing tasks for the experimental group, social situation simulation tasks were introduced to weaken the social categorization bias. This included designing cross-group cooperative tasks, using role-playing methods, and using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to observe changes in neural activity.

6. The method for verifying the intervention effect of stimulating creative thinking on social empathy bias according to claim 1, characterized in that: In step 3, the creative priming task requires test subjects to use the given materials to create and name new objects within a specified time. After taking photos and recording the number of objects created, a psychology expert evaluates the originality of each object and forms data on the creativity fluency and originality of each test subject. At the same time, the test subjects in the control group perform the same round of the control priming task as the experimental group. The control priming task requires test subjects to copy and construct an object identical to the given object within a specified time.

7. The method for verifying the intervention effect of stimulating creative thinking on social empathy bias according to claim 1, characterized in that: In step 3, the experimental group dynamically adjusts the difficulty, training duration, and training method of the creative initiation task for each test subject in the next round based on the analysis results of the creativity fluency and originality data of each test subject in the current round. If the number of objects created by a test subject is lower than the group average and the originality score of the objects is lower than the group average, the difficulty and training time of the next round of creative initiation task for the corresponding test subject will be increased, and targeted inspiration and guidance will be provided during the task. If the number of objects created by a test subject is higher than the group average but the originality score of the objects is lower than the group average, the guidance to break through fixed mindsets in the next round of creative initiation task for the corresponding test subject will be strengthened.

8. The method for verifying the intervention effect of stimulating creative thinking on social empathy bias according to claim 1, characterized in that: Step 3 involves developing a mobile application to enable routine testing experiments, including integrating task push, social sharing, and data recording and analysis functions, and combining wearable devices to monitor EEG activity in real time to adjust the difficulty of tasks.

9. The method for verifying the intervention effect of stimulating creative thinking on social empathy bias according to claim 1, characterized in that: In step 2 or 4, the social categorization effect of the population is measured using the repetition inhibition paradigm, which includes repetition conditions and transformation conditions. The neural activity indicators of the test subjects are obtained when the faces of the same group are presented continuously in the repetition condition and when the faces of different groups are presented alternately in the transformation condition. The amplitude data of P2 and N2 components in the EEG characteristics are used as objective electrophysiological indicators reflecting the social categorization effect.

10. The method for verifying the intervention effect of stimulating creative thinking on social empathy bias according to claim 1, characterized in that: In step 2 or 4, the degree of bias in empathy is measured through an expression judgment task. The method is as follows: the test subjects are asked to view facial stimuli of neutral and painful expressions of East Asian or Caucasian models, and to perform a population judgment task for each face, that is, to judge whether the face belongs to East Asian or Caucasian population; at the same time, the amplitude data of the P2 component in the EEG characteristics of the test subjects' unconscious empathic response to painful facial expressions are measured and analyzed, and the amplitude data of the P2 component is used as an objective electrophysiological indicator reflecting the degree of bias in empathy.

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