ArticlePloS one2024
Experiencing more meaningful coincidences is associated with more real-life creativity? Insights from three empirical studies.
Article in PloS one, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Who cites it
5 citing papers in PubMed.
- Attachment to God and meaning in life: the role of synchronicity awareness among ultra-Orthodox and secular individuals.Frontiers in psychology · 2026Article
- The Interoceptive Brain: Confidence Ratings and Accuracy Scores are Independently and Differently Associated With Task-Related Alpha Power During the Heartbeat Tracking Task.Psychophysiology · 2025Article
- Article
- Habitual physical activity is related to more creative activities and achievements.Scientific reports · 2024Article
- MRI resting-state signature of the propensity to experience meaningful coincidences: a functional coupling analysis.Cerebral cortex (New York, N.Y. : 1991) · 2024Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
3 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Literature suggests a link between creativity and the perception of meaningful patterns in random arrangements, which is coined apophenia, patternicity, synchronicity, or the experience of meaningful coincidences. However, empirical research did not establish a clear link between real-life creativity and the experience of meaningful coincidences. In this three-study approach, we consistently found a connection between the experience of meaningful coincidences and creative activities as well as creative achievements. However, we did not obtain a consistent link with openness to experience or with peoples' creative potential. By applying an internet daily diary approach, we found that the experience of meaningful coincidences fluctuates from day to day and that the number of perceived coincidences is associated with positive and negative affect. A third preregistered study showed that positive and negative affect might not serve as a strong mechanism that mediates the link between meaningful coincidences and real-life creative activities. We need further research to explore the reason for this robust link between meaningful coincidences and real-life creativity.
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