The Kafka Effect

Unexpected change, or encountering something that doesn’t make sense, can spur the brain into creative heights, says a Psychology Today article. The writer described a UBC study which found that participants who read a confusing story did better at a pattern recognition test after they’d finished reading, than participants who read a more logical story. The reason for this is that the brain, when it encounters something that doesn’t make sense, starts firing on all cylinders with great intensity and ability.