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STUDY ALERT: Mind-wandering as spontaneous thought: a dynamic framework

September 26, 2016 in Study Alerts, Blog

Mind-wandering as spontaneous thought: a dynamic framework

Kalina Christoff, Zachary C. Irving, Kieran C. R. Fox, R. Nathan Spreng and Jessica R. Andrews-Hanna

Most research on mind-wandering has characterized it as a mental state with contents that are task unrelated or stimulus independent. However, the dynamics of mind-wandering — how mental states change over time — have remained largely neglected. Here, we introduce a dynamic framework for understanding mind-wandering and its relationship to the recruitment of large-scale brain networks. We propose that mind-wandering is best understood as a member of a family of spontaneous-thought phenomena that also includes creative thought and dreaming. This dynamic framework can shed new light on mental disorders that are marked by alterations in spontaneous thought, including depression, anxiety and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

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One Response to “STUDY ALERT: Mind-wandering as spontaneous thought: a dynamic framework”

  1. hi there, this sounds like an amazing and insightful study, long overdue. i’m a parent, secretary, crafter, voracious reader, lower middle class citizen (a productive member of society 🙂 ) there are many times i find myself lost in my own thoughts and sometimes solve or link to a solution, or just let my thoughts go and journal and often enjoy and feel pleasure at these mind wanderings. i have a history of anxiety & depression. thank you for your time in reading this comment. tracy

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