Catching Mind Wandering With Pupillometry: Conceptual and Methodological Challenges.

Area of Science:

• Cognitive psychology
• Neuroscience
• Psychophysiology

Background:

• Mind-wandering (MW) is a shift of attention from tasks to internal thoughts.
• Physiological measures like EEG, fMRI, and pupillometry objectively track MW.
• Pupillometry is a covert biomarker for MW, reflecting arousal, emotion, and attention.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze contrasting results in MW and pupillometry studies.
• To identify key factors causing variability in MW and pupillometry research.
• To provide recommendations for effective use of physiological measures in MW research.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing literature on MW and pupillometry.
• Analysis of variability axes: MW definition, context, and pupillary tracking.
• Focus on tonic pupil size measurement limitations.

Main Results:

• Contrasting results in MW and pupil size coupling often stem from using tonic pupil size.
• Variability arises from differing MW definitions, task demands, arousal levels, and tracking methods.
• Pupillometry can be informative but requires methodological rigor.

Conclusions:

• Pupillometry is a valuable tool for MW research when used with caution.
• Addressing methodological variability is crucial for reliable MW and pupillometry findings.
• Future research should consider dynamic pupillary measures and contextual factors.