Eye Behavior Associated with Internally versus Externally Directed Cognition
What do our eyes do when we are focused on internal representations such as during imagination or planning? Evidence from mind wandering research suggests that spontaneous shifts from externally directed cognition (EDC) to internally directed cognition (IDC) involves oculomotor changes indicative of...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2017-06-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01092/full |
| _version_ | 1811238628141039616 |
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| author | Mathias Benedek Robert Stoiser Sonja Walcher Christof Körner |
| author_facet | Mathias Benedek Robert Stoiser Sonja Walcher Christof Körner |
| author_sort | Mathias Benedek |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | What do our eyes do when we are focused on internal representations such as during imagination or planning? Evidence from mind wandering research suggests that spontaneous shifts from externally directed cognition (EDC) to internally directed cognition (IDC) involves oculomotor changes indicative of visual disengagement. In the present study, we investigated potential differences in eye behavior between goal-directed forms of IDC and EDC. To this end, we manipulated the focus of attention (internal versus external) in two demanding cognitive tasks (anagram and sentence generation). IDC was associated with fewer and longer fixations and higher variability in pupil diameter and eye vergence compared to EDC, suggesting reduced visual scanning and higher spontaneous eye activity. IDC was further related to longer blinks, lower microsaccade frequency, and a lower angle of eye vergence. These latter changes appear conducive to attenuate visual input and thereby shield ongoing internal processes from external distraction. Together, these findings suggest that IDC is accompanied by characteristic eye behavior that reflects a decoupling of attention from external events and serves gating out visual input. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T12:45:51Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-497872cebadb4789886fe6f6846adf83 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-1078 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T12:45:51Z |
| publishDate | 2017-06-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychology |
| spelling | doaj.art-497872cebadb4789886fe6f6846adf832022-12-22T03:32:37ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782017-06-01810.3389/fpsyg.2017.01092268531Eye Behavior Associated with Internally versus Externally Directed CognitionMathias BenedekRobert StoiserSonja WalcherChristof KörnerWhat do our eyes do when we are focused on internal representations such as during imagination or planning? Evidence from mind wandering research suggests that spontaneous shifts from externally directed cognition (EDC) to internally directed cognition (IDC) involves oculomotor changes indicative of visual disengagement. In the present study, we investigated potential differences in eye behavior between goal-directed forms of IDC and EDC. To this end, we manipulated the focus of attention (internal versus external) in two demanding cognitive tasks (anagram and sentence generation). IDC was associated with fewer and longer fixations and higher variability in pupil diameter and eye vergence compared to EDC, suggesting reduced visual scanning and higher spontaneous eye activity. IDC was further related to longer blinks, lower microsaccade frequency, and a lower angle of eye vergence. These latter changes appear conducive to attenuate visual input and thereby shield ongoing internal processes from external distraction. Together, these findings suggest that IDC is accompanied by characteristic eye behavior that reflects a decoupling of attention from external events and serves gating out visual input.http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01092/fullinternal attentiongoal-directed cognitioneye-tracking |
| spellingShingle | Mathias Benedek Robert Stoiser Sonja Walcher Christof Körner Eye Behavior Associated with Internally versus Externally Directed Cognition Frontiers in Psychology internal attention goal-directed cognition eye-tracking |
| title | Eye Behavior Associated with Internally versus Externally Directed Cognition |
| title_full | Eye Behavior Associated with Internally versus Externally Directed Cognition |
| title_fullStr | Eye Behavior Associated with Internally versus Externally Directed Cognition |
| title_full_unstemmed | Eye Behavior Associated with Internally versus Externally Directed Cognition |
| title_short | Eye Behavior Associated with Internally versus Externally Directed Cognition |
| title_sort | eye behavior associated with internally versus externally directed cognition |
| topic | internal attention goal-directed cognition eye-tracking |
| url | http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01092/full |
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