A new approach to differentiate states of mind wandering: Effects of working memory capacity.
Matthew J Voss, Meera Zukosky, Ranxiao Frances Wang
Cognition October 2018 DOI: 10.1016/j.cognition.2018.05.013 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Participants performing an OSPAN task and a breath-focused mindfulness meditation task |
| Measures | OSPAN, self-caught method, probe-caught method |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Memory and attention Mind wandering Working memory |
| Key findings | Time spent focused increased with greater working memory capacity, while time spent mind wandering did not. The authors suggest that higher working memory capacity helps individuals sustain focus on the current task but has little effect on the ability to monitor and terminate mind wandering once it occurs. |
Abstract
Although widely studied, the process of how mind wandering occurs and is subsequently sustained still remains unclear. Moreover, the traditional concept of mind wandering tendency/frequency based on the self- or probe-caught methods alone is incoherent and problematic. We developed a new approach to characterize the mind wandering process by combining the self-caught and probe-caught methods to estimate the time of focus and time of mind wandering separately, and examined their relationship to working memory capacity. Participants performed an OSPAN task and subsequently a basic Mindfulness Meditation Task (focus on breath). During the meditation task, participants indicated when they became aware that they were mind wandering (self-caught method), or were asked if they were mind wandering when probed (probe-caught method). Results showed that time of focus but not time of mind wandering increased with greater working memory capacity. This suggests that individuals with higher working memory capacity were able to focus on the current task longer, but had little effect on the ability to monitor and terminate mind wandering once it occurred. The theoretical and methodological implications of this new approach are discussed.
Comparable studies
Other observational and cohort studies on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Using Self-Report Assessment Methods to Explore Facets of Mindfulness Undergraduate students | 2006 | Observational cohort | |
| Effectiveness of a meditation-based stress reduction program in the treatment of anxiety disorders Patients with generalized anxiety disorder or panic disorder with or without agoraphobia | 1992 | Observational cohort | n = 22 |
| Meditation experience is associated with increased cortical thickness Participants with extensive Insight meditation experience and matched controls | 2005 | Observational cohort | n = 20 |
| Meditation experience is associated with differences in default mode network activity and connectivity Experienced meditators and matched meditation-naive controls | 2011 | Observational cohort | |
| Long-term meditators self-induce high-amplitude gamma synchrony during mental practice Long-term Buddhist practitioners and controls | 2004 | Observational cohort |
Citations in the library
Cited by 5
- Educating Through Attentional States of Consciousness, an Effective Way to Develop Creative Potential? Frontiers in Education March 17, 2022
- Modulation of Posterior Default Mode Network Activity During Interoceptive Attention and Relation to Mindfulness. Biological Psychiatry Global Open Science November 1, 2024
- Self-caught methodologies for measuring mind wandering with meta-awareness: A systematic review. Consciousness and Cognition February 2023
- Default mode and frontal executive network interactions enable interoceptive attention & mindfulness
- Posterior default mode network activity underlies distracted interoceptive attention and provides an objective basis for low mindfulness & depression
Cites 9
- Experience sampling during fMRI reveals default network and executive system contributions to mind wandering. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences May 26, 2009
- Meditation experience is associated with differences in default mode network activity and connectivity Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences November 23, 2011
- Mindfulness and mind-wandering: Finding convergence through opposing constructs. Emotion February 6, 2012
- Not all minds that wander are lost: the importance of a balanced perspective on the mind-wandering state Frontiers in Psychology 2013
- Insulation for Daydreams: A Role for Tonic Norepinephrine in the Facilitation of Internally Guided Thought PLoS One April 6, 2012
and 4 more in the library