UI Study Finds Pigeons Offer Insight Into Human Creativity

Researchers speculate that the 'edge of chaos' behavior observed in pigeons may also apply to other animals, including humans.

Apr. 20, 2026 at 12:19am

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A highly structured abstract painting in soft, earthy tones featuring sweeping geometric arcs, concentric circular patterns, and precise botanical spirals, conceptually representing the complex and dynamic 'edge of chaos' behavior observed in pigeons during a creativity study.An abstract visualization of the 'edge of chaos' behavior observed in pigeons, which may hold insights into the biological basis of human creativity.Great Neck Today

University of Iowa researchers have found that when placed in a stable environment, pigeons don't fall into repetition in activating a food-based reward system. Instead, the pigeons sit at an evolutionary middle ground known as 'the edge of chaos,' where they display a mix of rigid and flexible behaviors. The researchers believe this 'yin and yang' could be the evolutionary explanation for human creativity.

Why it matters

The study challenges the traditional 'law of effect' learning principle, which states that behaviors followed by satisfying consequences are more likely to be repeated. The researchers suggest that the ability to remain flexible and keep multiple options available may be evolutionarily beneficial for animals, including humans, amid environmental changes driven by forces like climate change and human interference.

The details

In the experiment, pigeons were given five buttons to press in any order to receive a food reward. While the sequences the pigeons input seemed random, the final results showed they had five favorite sequences that they chose from invariably. The researchers say this 'edge of chaos' behavior, where the pigeons display both rigid and flexible tendencies, may be advantageous for adapting to changing conditions.

  • The study was published on April 6, 2026.
  • The research was conducted at the University of Iowa.

The players

Odysseus Orr

The study's co-author and a third-year graduate student in the UI's Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences.

Edward Wasserman

The lead author of the study and a professor in the UI's Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences.

Sophia Li

A senior at Great Neck North High School in New York who joined Wasserman's lab to help collect and evaluate data from the pigeons.

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What they’re saying

“Although they narrowed the range of sequences they were deploying, there was incredible instability among the favorites. It's as though there are two clashing tendencies, one to become more rigid, and one to resist the rigidity.”

— Edward Wasserman, Professor, UI Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences

“It might be to their advantage not to lock in to a small number. People have talked about this in evolutionary biology for quite a while, but it turns out that in terms of the behavior of an individual bird, you see the same kind of thing.”

— Edward Wasserman, Professor, UI Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences

“When it's with pigeons, I think it implies to me that there's a more basic or maybe even biological drive to always preserve variability. Maybe this creativity is something that's innate.”

— Sophia Li, High School Student Researcher

What’s next

The researchers are in the planning stages for further studies with pigeons, monkeys, and humans to explore the 'edge of chaos' behavior and its potential connection to human creativity.

The takeaway

This study challenges traditional learning principles and suggests that the ability to remain flexible and keep multiple options available may be evolutionarily beneficial, not just for animals, but potentially for humans as well. The researchers believe the 'edge of chaos' behavior observed in pigeons could provide insights into the biological underpinnings of human creativity.