Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 29, 2026
08:45
A Dual Task Procedure Combined with Rapid Serial Visual Presentation to Test Attentional Blink for Nontargets
Published on: December 5, 2014
8.9K
The more your mind wanders, the smaller your attentional blink: an individual differences study
David R Thomson1, Brandon C W Ralph, Derek Besner
1a Department of Psychology , University of Waterloo , Ontario , Canada.
Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology (2006)
|September 10, 2014
Summary
Individuals who frequently experience mind wandering may under-invest attention externally. This study found that higher mind wandering correlates with a smaller attentional blink (AB), suggesting an adaptive cognitive style for processing unpredictable events.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Mind wandering is common, but its cognitive underpinnings are debated.
- A prominent theory suggests the attentional blink (AB) arises from attentional over-investment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if frequent mind wandering is linked to reduced external attentional investment.
- To examine the relationship between self-reported mind wandering and the magnitude of the attentional blink (AB).
Main Methods:
- Study 1: Assessed subjective mind wandering during a sustained attention task and measured AB magnitude in a subsequent rapid serial visual presentation (RSVP) task.
- Study 2: Utilized the Spontaneous and Deliberate Mind Wandering Questionnaire to assess trait-level mind wandering and its relation to AB magnitude.
Main Results:
- Subjective reports of mind wandering negatively predicted the magnitude of the attentional blink.
- Trait-level mind wandering also showed a negative predictive relationship with AB magnitude.
Conclusions:
- Frequent mind wandering may reflect an under-investment of attentional resources in the external environment.
- Mind wandering could be an adaptive cognitive strategy for efficiently processing dynamic and unpredictable information.
