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Updated: Oct 23, 2025
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Measurement of Neurophysiological Signals of Ignoring and Attending Processes in Attention Control
Published on: July 5, 2015
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How consistent is mind wandering across situations and tasks? A latent state-trait analysis
Jan Rummel1, Dirk Hagemann1, Lena Steindorf1
1Department of Psychology.
Summary
Mind wandering reports are somewhat consistent across occasions but also task-specific, indicating individual differences in mind wandering are influenced by the ongoing task. This suggests situational factors play a lesser role than assumed.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Psychology
Background:
- Mind wandering, defined as attention shifting from current activities to internal thoughts, is typically measured via thought reports during ongoing tasks.
- The extent to which these reports reflect stable individual tendencies versus situational fluctuations remains unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the consistency of mind wandering reports across different measurement occasions and tasks.
- To determine the degree to which these reports indicate stable individual differences in mind wandering behavior.
Main Methods:
- Latent state-trait analysis was employed to assess the consistency and specificity of mind wandering reports.
- Participants' mind wandering was measured using thought reports during various tasks.
Main Results:
- Mind wandering reports demonstrated moderate consistency across different occasions.
- A significant degree of task-specificity was observed in mind wandering reports, indicating task-dependent variations.
Conclusions:
- Mind wandering in laboratory settings appears less influenced by situational factors than commonly presumed.
- Individual differences in mind wandering are partly dependent on the specific task being performed.
- Future research should explore the origins of task-specificity and integrate this concept into theoretical frameworks of mind wandering.
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