Where Is My Mind…? The Link between Mind Wandering and Prospective Memory
Mind wandering (MW) is a common feature of the human experience occurring when our attention shifts from the task at hand to inner thoughts. MW seems to be often future-oriented and could be used to help people to carry out their planned actions (Prospective Memory PM). Here, we tested the link betw...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2022-08-01
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| Series: | Brain Sciences |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/12/9/1139 |
| _version_ | 1797490559692046336 |
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| author | Jean-Charles Girardeau Marco Sperduti Philippe Blondé Pascale Piolino |
| author_facet | Jean-Charles Girardeau Marco Sperduti Philippe Blondé Pascale Piolino |
| author_sort | Jean-Charles Girardeau |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Mind wandering (MW) is a common feature of the human experience occurring when our attention shifts from the task at hand to inner thoughts. MW seems to be often future-oriented and could be used to help people to carry out their planned actions (Prospective Memory PM). Here, we tested the link between MW and the ability to perform PM intentions. We assessed MW and PM over 15 days using experience-sampling probes via mobile phone (226 participants) associated with a naturalistic PM task. We confirmed that MW occupies a significant proportion of our mental activity (40%). This time seems to be mainly used to project ourselves into the future (64%), whether to anticipate and imagine the long term (20%) or to plan daily obligations (44%). Intriguingly, only past-oriented thoughts (9%) predict the PM performance. We discuss the possible functional role played by MW in maintaining intentions in mind. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T00:34:44Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-bf61fd2edae4471f8d1951ac99179f93 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-3425 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T00:34:44Z |
| publishDate | 2022-08-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Brain Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-bf61fd2edae4471f8d1951ac99179f932023-11-23T15:19:51ZengMDPI AGBrain Sciences2076-34252022-08-01129113910.3390/brainsci12091139Where Is My Mind…? The Link between Mind Wandering and Prospective MemoryJean-Charles Girardeau0Marco Sperduti1Philippe Blondé2Pascale Piolino3Laboratoire Mémoire, Cerveau et Cognition (LMC2 UR7536), Institut de Psychologie, Université Paris Cité, 92100 Boulogne-Billancourt, FranceLaboratoire Mémoire, Cerveau et Cognition (LMC2 UR7536), Institut de Psychologie, Université Paris Cité, 92100 Boulogne-Billancourt, FranceLaboratoire de Psychologie Sociale et Cognitive (LAPSCO), Université Clermont Auvergne, 63000 Clermont-Ferrand, FranceLaboratoire Mémoire, Cerveau et Cognition (LMC2 UR7536), Institut de Psychologie, Université Paris Cité, 92100 Boulogne-Billancourt, FranceMind wandering (MW) is a common feature of the human experience occurring when our attention shifts from the task at hand to inner thoughts. MW seems to be often future-oriented and could be used to help people to carry out their planned actions (Prospective Memory PM). Here, we tested the link between MW and the ability to perform PM intentions. We assessed MW and PM over 15 days using experience-sampling probes via mobile phone (226 participants) associated with a naturalistic PM task. We confirmed that MW occupies a significant proportion of our mental activity (40%). This time seems to be mainly used to project ourselves into the future (64%), whether to anticipate and imagine the long term (20%) or to plan daily obligations (44%). Intriguingly, only past-oriented thoughts (9%) predict the PM performance. We discuss the possible functional role played by MW in maintaining intentions in mind.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/12/9/1139prospective memorymind wanderingexperience sampling |
| spellingShingle | Jean-Charles Girardeau Marco Sperduti Philippe Blondé Pascale Piolino Where Is My Mind…? The Link between Mind Wandering and Prospective Memory Brain Sciences prospective memory mind wandering experience sampling |
| title | Where Is My Mind…? The Link between Mind Wandering and Prospective Memory |
| title_full | Where Is My Mind…? The Link between Mind Wandering and Prospective Memory |
| title_fullStr | Where Is My Mind…? The Link between Mind Wandering and Prospective Memory |
| title_full_unstemmed | Where Is My Mind…? The Link between Mind Wandering and Prospective Memory |
| title_short | Where Is My Mind…? The Link between Mind Wandering and Prospective Memory |
| title_sort | where is my mind the link between mind wandering and prospective memory |
| topic | prospective memory mind wandering experience sampling |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/12/9/1139 |
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