Self-expression is a fundamental human drive. The need for self-expression can occur through many means both creative and mundane. The Expressive Instinct explains how the complexity of human experiences and the need to express them manifests more profoundly when distilled into artforms and dispels the idea that creativity is the domain of a select gifted few. The book explores the questions: What is the purpose of art in our lives? Could the desire for beauty, to be surrounded by elements of nature, be an innate need? Are art and creative expression essential for a good life? In this book, Dr. Kaimal links over 10 years of research, theories of evolutionary biology, brain sciences, as well as her own lifelong journey as an artist, scholar and educator in many personal and professional roles (textile designer, art therapist, researcher and educator). This book makes the case for why we as human beings need to stay creative and not lose our abilities to channel our inner lives in adaptive expressive ways. The arts, the book argues, are a container for the range of human experiences. Creative expression helps us practice and externalize imagination which in turn helps build resilience for dealing with uncertainty and change.

About the Author
Girija Kaimal is an Associate Professor in the PhD program in Creative Arts Therapies and Assistant Dean for Special Research Initiatives at the Drexel University College of Nursing and Health Professions.

Reviews
Many authors writing on aspects of our social and emotional lives, as well as our connections with nature, have grounded their arguments using studies from neuroscience. None have done so more powerfully or more gracefully than the author of this exquisite new book... Kaimal obviously has firsthand, in-depth knowledge of how our brains and bodies produce art works and other forms of self-expression... followed by a delightfully engaging exercise envisioning the future of the intersection between neuroscience and the expressive arts. * Choice *



Book Information
ISBN 9780197646229
Author Girija Kaimal
Format Hardback
Page Count 272
Imprint Oxford University Press Inc
Publisher Oxford University Press Inc
Weight(grams) 1g
Dimensions(mm) 165mm * 238mm * 25mm