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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 20, 2026

Measurement of Neurophysiological Signals of Ignoring and Attending Processes in Attention Control

Measurement of Neurophysiological Signals of Ignoring and Attending Processes in Attention Control

Published on: July 5, 2015

Self-Reported Stickiness of Mind-Wandering Affects Task Performance.

Marieke K van Vugt¹, Nico Broers¹

¹Institute of Artificial Intelligence and Cognitive Engineering, University of Groningen Groningen, Netherlands.

Frontiers in Psychology

|June 1, 2016

Summary

Mind-wandering, or task-unrelated thinking, is influenced by unfinished goals. The "stickiness" of these thoughts, or difficulty disengaging, impacts task performance and response time variability.

Keywords:

SART current concerns distraction goals mind-wandering sustained attention

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Area of Science:

Cognitive Psychology
Neuroscience

Background:

Mind-wandering is common during tasks and linked to unfinished goals.
Previous research on concerns' impact on task performance yielded inconsistent results.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the relationship between self-reported thought content and task performance.
To explore the concept of thought 'stickiness' in mind-wandering.

Main Methods:

Participants engaged in a task while their thought content was assessed.
The 'stickiness' of task-unrelated thoughts was self-reported.
Task performance metrics, including response time variability, were analyzed.

Main Results:

Self-reported thought 'stickiness' correlated with increased off-task thinking.
Higher 'stickiness' was associated with greater response time variability.
Concerns alone did not consistently affect task performance.

Conclusions:

The 'stickiness' of mind-wandering is a significant factor influencing cognitive performance.
Individuals can meaningfully report on the 'stickiness' of their thoughts.
Mind-wandering's impact on task performance is nuanced and related to thought disengagement difficulty.