Does the intentionality of mind wandering affect the combined dimensions of temporal orientation and emotional valence?

Guan, Siqing; Takahashi, Toru; Kumano, Hiroaki · 2023 · Crossref

DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-2542675/v1

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Summary

This study investigates whether the intentionality of mind wandering (MW)—whether it is deliberate or spontaneous—affects the specific content of thoughts, particularly regarding temporal orientation (past vs. future) and emotional valence (positive, neutral, or negative). While previous research has established that intentional and unintentional MW have distinct functional properties, the relationship between intentionality and the combined dimensions of content had not been previously examined. The authors hypothesized that unintentional MW would be more likely to generate negative, past-oriented content, whereas intentional MW would favor positive, future-oriented content. They further posited that combining these dimensions would reveal more specific relationships than analyzing them in isolation. To test these hypotheses, the researchers conducted an experiment with 30 undergraduate participants using a sequential Sustained Attention to Response Task (SART). This task involved responding to digits while withholding responses to a specific target, a design known to induce both intentional and unintentional MW. During the task, participants were interrupted by 20 intermittent thought probes. At each probe, participants reported whether they were on-task, engaged in intentional MW, or engaged in unintentional MW. If they reported MW, they further classified the content as past- or future-oriented and as positive, neutral, or negative. The study utilized multi-level logistic regression to analyze the odds ratios of different content types based on MW intentionality, excluding data where participants were on-task. The results indicated that while intentional and unintentional MW did not differ significantly in the frequency of negative valence when considered alone, significant differences emerged when temporal orientation and valence were combined. Unintentional MW was 4.88 times more likely than intentional MW to generate negative, past-oriented content and 1.94 times more likely to generate neutral, past-oriented content. Conversely, intentional MW was 2.61 times more likely to generate negative, future-oriented content and 2.17 times more likely to generate positive, future-oriented content. Additionally, unintentional MW was less likely to generate future-oriented content overall compared to intentional MW. These findings suggest that the clinical costs and benefits of mind wandering depend heavily on the combination of its content dimensions rather than single factors. Unintentional MW appears to promote dysfunctional patterns, such as rumination on negative past events, which is associated with depression and anxiety. In contrast, intentional MW facilitates future-oriented thinking, including both positive planning and negative simulation, which may serve a protective function by allowing individuals to strategically prepare for potential risks. The study concludes that distinguishing between intentional and unintentional MW is crucial for understanding its functionality, as they generate distinct content profiles that have different implications for mental health and cognitive performance.

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• mind wandering