A sudden lapse of imagination?

Processing overlap between mind wandering and creative thought

Jonathan Smallwood,

Research Scientist, META Lab

University of California,

Santa Barbara

CollaboratorsUniversity of Aberdeen

Neil MacraeLynden Miles

Dave TurkLouise Phillips

University of British ColumbiaKalina Christoff

Todd Handy

University of California, Santa BarbaraJonathan Schooler

University of StirlingRory O’Connor

University of StrathclydeMarc Obonsawain

Attention is “the sudden taking possession of the mind, in clear and vivid form of one of what seems several simultaneously possible objects or trains of thought”

Core Thesis

Both mind wandering and insight are:

• Momentary phenomena– occur out of the blue– anecdotally are often only indirectly related to

the task in hand

• Are personally relevant – current concerns

Overview

1. Describe a simple model to understand lapses in attention

2. Describe the methodologies employed to study mind wandering

3. Consider theoretical similarities between mind wandering and creative thought

4. Study comparing the relation between subjective reports of mind wandering and creative thought

The Restless Mind

Mind wandering – a failure to constrain attention to the task in hand.

Often (but not always) accompanied by a state of introspection

Task unrelated thought (TUT)Stimulus Independent Thought (SIT)

Smallwood & Schooler (2006). Psych Bulletin

Internal Representations

Task Relevant Information

Working Memory

Mind wandering is a disruption in the flow of task relevant information into working memory

Attention becomes decoupled from the task

Smallwood et al. (2007). Psych Bull & Review

Mental states as information flow

Measuring the wandering mind

Measures– Subjective

– Experience sampling– Objective

– Lapses in the performance of an appropriate task

Relate to an Introspective State?

Verifiable at the 3rd person perspective?

Experience Sampling

Yes Depends

Behavioral Lapse

Depends Yes

Thought Probe

Just prior to being asked were you:

On Task

Press ‘T’

Off Task

Press ‘O’

Sustained Attention to Response

Task

35

79

2

Time1

4X

Participant is asked to respond to stimuli presented on the screen (digits 0 -9).

Behavioural marker

Asked to withhold a response when the stimulus is an ‘X’.

Subjective marker

Reports of mental states at thought probes

35

79

TP

Thought Probe (TP)

Subjective Index

Behavioural Index

Experimental Approach

Measures of mind wandering can be both

• an Independent Variable (IV)– when we consider the objective precedents

of mind wandering

• a Dependent Variable (DV)– when we examine the factors the incline the

mind to wander.

Mind wandering & a negative moodA case study

Mind wandering as an IV

What are the physiological indicators of mind wandering? How does this relate to current mood levels?

Mind wandering as a DV

• How do different mood states effect the amount of mind wandering?

Mind Wandering and emotion

Role of Emotion

Sad moods may lead to an under commitment of attentional resources on the task (Jefferies et al., 2008).

To cope with the aversive nature of negative moods, individuals may engage in self reflection (Kuhl, 2000).

40 ParticipantsCompleted a word learning taskMeasuresMeasure of Depression

Centre of epidemiological studies inventory (CESD)

Attentional focus (thought probes)Physiological arousal

Heart rateSkin conductance level

Mind wandering & DysphoriaMind wandering as an IV

train snow apple tree TP

t

Subjective Reports of On / Off Task

Cued recall (Tr _ _ _)

Physiological arousal (SCR, HR)

Measures

Mind wandering as an IV

Smallwood et al. (2007). Cognition & Emotion

Cued Recall

Completion of word fragments

0

1

2

Encoding

Me

an

Co

rre

ct

(ma

x 3

)

On Task

Mind-Wandering

Periods of mind wandering were associated with fewer correct completions than were periods of on task processing

Smallwood et al. (2007). Cognition & Emotion

Physiological Measures

Skin Conductance Response

0

1

2

EncodingM

icro

-Sie

men

s

On Task

Mind-Wandering

Heart Rate

65

75

85

Encoding

Bea

ts p

er m

inu

te

On Task

Mind-Wandering

Periods when the mind wandered were associated with a higher skin conductance response (SCR, right) and faster heart rate (HR, left).

Smallwood et al. (2007). Mind wandering and dysphoria. Cognition & Emotion

Heart Rate

The greatest increase in heart rate due to mind wandering was observed in the dysphoric individuals. -10

-5

0

5

10

Low High

Dysphoria Level

Incr

ease

in

HR

du

rin

g M

W (

BP

M)

Smallwood et al. (2007). Cognition & Emotion

Shifting moods, wandering mindsMind wandering as a DV

59 Participants watched either a positive, negative or neutral film

• Completed a ten minute SART• Provided retrospective measures of

subjective experience

Smallwood et al. (in press) Emotion

Behavioural Lapses

0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

Negative Neutral Positive

Mood

Err

ors

(p

rop

)

Smallwood et al. (under revision) Emotion

Subjective Experience

1

2

3

TRI TUTSubjective Reports

Mea

n R

atin

g

NegativeNeutralPositive

TUT = Task Unrelated Thought; TRI = Task Related Interference

Smallwood et al. (under revision) Emotion

MW & Mood

Negative mood leads the mind to wander when faced with an undemanding task which requires sustained attention

When in a negative mood, mind wandering entails greater physiological arousal

Theoretical overlap between creativity and mind wandering

Mind wandering is an

• elusive momentary phenomenon and so is similar to the AHA experience

• related to personally salient events and so is similar to the problems upon which creativity is focused

A meta lapse

Schooler (2002). meta awarenessAn intermittent state in

which we take stock of the contents of consciousness

Mind wandering episodes– begin without recognition (a failure

of meta awareness)– ends when we catch ourselves

mind wandering (engagement of meta awareness)

Thought Probe

Just prior to being asked were you:

On TaskPress ‘O’

Off Task but aware (Tuning Out)Press ‘T’

Off Task but unaware (Zoning Out)Press ‘Z’

Going AWOL in the brain

23 participants

Completed a SART

Containing thought probes

Measured the cortical processing of the task using event related potentials

Sustained Attention to Response

Task

35

79

2

Time1

4X

Participant is asked to respond to stimuli presented on the screen (digits 0 -9).

Behavioural marker

Asked to withhold a response when the stimulus is an ‘X’.

Subjective marker

Reports of mental states at thought probes

35

79

TP

Thought Probe (TP)

Subjective Index

Behavioural Index

Analysis

4 2 5 8 X

t

9 6 7 1 TP

t

Subjective Reports of On / Off Task

Behavioural indicator that participants were on or off task

Consider the amplitude of the P3 ERP component prior to being on or off task, using both behavioural and subjective markers.

P3indexes the extent to which stimulus context is updated in memory (e.g., Donchin, & Coles, 1988)

or more generally, the amount of attentional resources directed towards that stimulus at time of presentation (e.g., Kramer & Strayer, 1988, Polich, 1986, Wickens et al., 1983)

Reduced Cognitive Analysis of the task environment during Mind-

wandering

6 Stimuli Prior to an Error

Main Effect (p<0.01)

6 Stimuli Prior to Thought Probe

Main Effect (p<0.05)

Smallwood, et al. (2008). Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience

Behavioural marker Subjective marker

It’s the target! Duh!

P300 Amplitude (volts)Prior to Error

P300 Amplitude (volts)Prior to Zoning Out

0.0 5.0 10.0 15.0

0.0

5.0

10.0

15.0

R Sq Linear = 0.569

Decoupled Attention

The curious incident of the wandering mind

Participants read a Sherlock Holmes novella

and then answered questions regarding the crime

Included awareness probes– Random Intervals– Inference Critical Episodes

(ICES) • points when a clue to the

nature of the crime was revealed

Smallwood, et al. (2008). Memory & Cognition.

Who dunnit?Question: What was the psuedonym

used by John Clay?

0

20

40

Never zoned out Zoned out one or more occasion

Num

ber

of p

arti

cipa

nts

Incorrect

Correct

People who zoned out at critical ICE could not identify the pseudonym used by the villainSmallwood, et al. (2008). Memory & Cognition.

Temporal Specificity

0

0.2

0.4

Tune Outs Zone Outs Tune Outs Zone Outs

Pro

po

rtio

n o

f R

ep

ort

sClues

Other

Unsuccessful Readers Successful Readers

*

Ability to identify the villains identity was specifically related to Zoning Out at ICEs

Smallwood, et al. (2008). Memory & Cognition.

reduces cortical processing of the external world

impairs text comprehension

both occur when we lose track of our thoughts

Internal Representations

External Information

Working Memory

Momentary lapses

When the mind wanders we momentarily leave the ‘here and now’…

Mental Time TravelTulving (1985)

the ability to project oneself mentally into either the past or the future

Prospective cognition is seen as a particularly valuable component of human cognition (Schacter et al., 2007)

The self is seen as important resource in facilitating our ability to anticipate future events – known as ‘self-projection’ (Buckner & Carroll, 2007)

Mental Time Travel in Ongoing Thought

77 participants

Measured mind wandering using thought probes

Prospective / Retrospective TUT

Completed three tasks– Simple working memory– Choice Reaction Time– Passive viewing

Temporal Focus Probe

Just prior to being asked were you:

Thinking in the here and now

(Press H)

Thinking about a personal event in the future

(Press F)

Thinking about a personal event from the past

(Press P)

0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

Past Future

Temporal Focus

Pro

ba

bil

ity

Working MemoryChoice RTPassive

Task Environment

A Prospective Bias to

Mind Wandering

Participants were inclined to consider the future when the task did not involve continuous monitoring.

Smallwood et al., (in press). Consciousness & Cognition

120 ParticipantsRead a simple second grade textProvided reports of mind wandering

Probe CaughtSelf Caught

Completed 3 measuresUnusual Uses TestRemote Associates TestInhibition

The Imaginative Lapse?

Assessing awareness

Self Caught / Probe Caught Ratio• Different methods of reporting mind

wandering tap into different aspects of the phenomenon– Probe Caught – estimate of mind wandering– Self caught – ability to recognizeIn combination it is possible to stratify

individuals in terms of these different dimensions

Awareness at Probes

0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

Tune Outs Zone Outs

Reports at Probes

Pro

po

rtio

n o

f re

po

rts

Low High

Self Caught Group

Participants who tend to Self catch their minds wandering, say they are zoning out when caught at probes.

Spontaneous versus Deliberate?

Remote Associates TestRemote Associates Test

0.5

0.75

1

1.25

Low High

Probe Caught MW

Co

rre

ct

As

so

cia

tes

(L

og

)

Unusual Uses Test

1

1.25

1.5

Low High

Probe Caught MW

To

tal U

nu

su

al U

se

s (

Lo

g)

Low High

Self Catching

The Probe Caught Ratio did not vary with performance on the RAT (LEFT) but did predict UUT performance (BELOW)

Participants who tended to catch their minds wandering but were not caught at probes produced the most solutions to the UUT (LEFT)

Spontaneous versus deliberate lapses in imagination?

Engaging in spontaneous mind wandering (Zoning Out) combined with the ability to recognize (Self Catching) is related to successful completions on the UUT.

Final thought….

Next time you catch yourself mind wandering at a dull cognitive talk, try to remember what

it is that you were thinking about…