Daydreaminsg: not a waste of time after all?

Posted on November 5, 2016

Professor Moshe Bar, who led the research said: "Over the last 15 or 20 years, scientists have shown that - unlike the localized neural activity associated with specific tasks - mind wandering involves the activation of a gigantic default network involving many parts of the brain. This cross-brain involvement may be involved in behavioral outcomes such as creativity and mood, and may also contribute to the ability to stay successfully on-task while the mind goes off on its merry mental way."

For the research, neuroscientists stimulated the frontal lobes electrically.

Professor Bar explained: "We focused tDCS [electrical] stimulation on the frontal lobes because this brain region has been previously implicated in mind wandering, and also because is a central locus of the executive control network that allows us to organize and plan for the future."

With the electrical stimulation people reported more daydreaming and mind wandering. They also performed slightly better on a task they were given to do.

Professor Bar said: "Interestingly, while our study’s external stimulation increased the incidence of mind wandering, rather than reducing the subjects' ability to complete the task, it caused task performance to become slightly improved. The external stimulation actually enhanced the subjects' cognitive capacity."

Previous studies have linked "on-task" mind wandering or daydreaming with increased performance.

To read the full article, click on the link below.


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Source material from PsyBlog