Is the intentionality of mind wandering associated with the combined dimensions of temporal orientation and emotional valence?

Guan, Siqing; Takahashi, Toru; Kumano, Hiroaki · 2026 · Crossref

DOI: 10.1186/s40359-025-03821-7

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Summary

This study investigates how the intentionality of mind wandering (MW)—whether it is intentional or unintentional—shapes the combined dimensions of temporal orientation (past vs. future) and emotional valence (positive, neutral, negative). While previous research has examined these features separately, this work addresses the gap in understanding how specific combinations of content features are systematically influenced by whether MW is deliberate or spontaneous. The research aims to clarify the functional heterogeneity of MW by testing the hypothesis that unintentional MW is more likely to involve negatively or neutrally valenced past-oriented content, whereas intentional MW is more likely to involve future-oriented content, regardless of valence. The study employed a sequential Sustained Attention to Response Task (Sequential SART) with 30 healthy undergraduate and graduate students from a Japanese university. Participants completed 900 trials, during which they were intermittently prompted by 20 thought probes to report their mental state. They categorized their thoughts as on-task, intentional MW, or unintentional MW, and further specified the temporal orientation and emotional valence of any MW episodes. Data analysis utilized multilevel binary logistic regression to examine the probability of specific content types occurring as a function of intentionality, accounting for repeated measures within individuals. The results confirmed the study’s hypotheses. Unintentional MW was significantly more likely to be associated with neutral past-oriented content (OR = 1.94) and negative past-oriented content (OR = 4.88). Conversely, unintentional MW was significantly less likely to involve positive future-oriented content (OR = 0.46) or negative future-oriented content (OR = 0.38). No significant differences were found for positive past-oriented or neutral future-oriented content. These findings indicate that unintentional MW is predominantly linked to past-focused, emotionally neutral or negative thoughts, while intentional MW is strongly associated with future-focused thoughts, including those with negative valence. The findings contribute to a deeper theoretical integration of the content regulation, executive failure, and decoupling hypotheses. They suggest that intentional MW aligns with strategic disengagement and adaptive processes like goal planning and emotional preparation, even when involving negative future scenarios. In contrast, unintentional MW aligns with executive control failures and maladaptive patterns such as rumination and anxiety, particularly when focused on negative past events. This distinction highlights the importance of considering intentionality alongside content dimensions to understand the functional consequences of mind wandering, offering implications for interventions targeting cognitive flexibility and emotional regulation.

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• mind wandering